


The Tangled Web

by Storyteller_of_the_Forest



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Mystery, No Slash, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Thor (Marvel) is Not Stupid, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-05-21 06:05:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 37,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14909771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storyteller_of_the_Forest/pseuds/Storyteller_of_the_Forest
Summary: Life is good in New Asgard. The Asgardian refugees are thriving and the Odinsons are great leaders. It seems like nothing can go wrong.Then, Thor goes missing during a diplomatic trip to Vanaheim. Loki is worried sick about his brother, who seems to have just vanished into thin air. Just when things seem hopeless, Thor returns. He has no memory of going missing or where he was. Loki realizes something is terribly wrong with his brother but without Thor's memories, he doesn't know where to begin searching for answers.





	1. Spring in New Asgard

**Author's Note:**

> This is me dipping my toe into a multi-chapter fic. I had an idea for one and I wanted to see if I could see it through. So I've been writing this for over a week now because I wanted to stick to a regular posting schedule with no breaks. It has been...interesting to say the least.
> 
> Updates will be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (likely in the afternoon). Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'm going to be giving future chapters one last read through/polishing. I have to warn you: I think at least eight chapters end on really terrible cliffhangers. My apologies for that.
> 
> While this is definitely in the same AU universe as my series of one-shots ("When the Dust Settles"), you don't necessarily have to read that series to enjoy this story. Basically, in my mind, Thor and Loki set up a village for the Asgardian refugees called New Asgard and they kind of, sort of rule together (but they have a bunch of advisors and people who they leave in charge when they need to go out of town). Life is fairly uneventful for them except when it's not.
> 
> REGULAR WARNINGS
> 
> Haven't seen Infinity War and am not going to see Infinity War. I don't do romantic ships, especially not between family members. If you're into that kind of thing, go elsewhere please (and don't tag my work with incest ships, please).
> 
> in my mind, after the battle with Thanos, Thor left the Avengers to take care of his people. The original Avengers disbanded and there's a mostly new group of superheroes taking up the mantel. I feel like the original team earned a retirement after defeating Thanos. However, they all still keep in touch and visit each other on occasion.
> 
> I'm very, VERY new to writing fics (especially multi-chapter ones. This might be a one-time thing). So I apologize for any mistakes, mis-characterizations, formatting errors, or just any glaring errors. Please be gentle.
> 
> Kudos and reviews are greatly appreciated. I don't own anything, obviously all characters and recognizable aspects belong to Marvel.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story and thank you for reading :)

Brunhilde and Loki wandered the streets of the New Asgard, enjoying the pleasant spring weather. It was neither too warm nor too cold. After a harsh winter, the cold finally seemed to be over and the crops were starting to come in. The Asgardians had even set up a bustling marketplace where people could buy and trade goods and services. The overall mood was a happy one and the Asgardians continued to thrive.

The Valkyrie smirked as she looked over at the trickster, who was dressed in his usual dark suit. “Well, you certainly seem to be in a good mood for a change.”

Loki laughed softly as he cut into the apple he was eating. “I’m always in a good mood. When it seems like I’m not, it’s merely because I’m in between entertainment sources.”

“Uh huh,” Brunhilde humored him, accepting the apple slice he offered her, gesturing at the small plain knife. “Interesting blade. Didn’t figure you for one who carried practical tools.”

“My brother has a habit of picking up useful objects, sometimes without realizing it,” Loki explained. “I merely borrow his.”

“Borrow, as in steal?”

Loki looked at her, subtly raising an eyebrow as he slid an apple slice in his mouth. He closed his eyes briefly, savoring the sweet taste of the fruit. Some of the Asgardian farmers had figured out a way to grow a few of the fruits native to Asgard on Midgard. They couldn’t replace all their foods and goods, but there were able to recreate some. Though he would never admit it, Loki was grateful for what little they were able to recreate. The apples in particular were a gift. They had been Frigga’s favorite fruit, one she often shared with her sons. Some of Loki’s happiest memories were of reading with his mother while sharing a plate of apple slices.

As they continued down the road, greeting the Asgardians they passed by, a shiver went down Loki’s back. He tilted his head a little, glancing behind them. That was odd. He shook it off and slid another apple slice into his mouth.

“Will Ayo be visiting in the near future?” Loki asked as they continued on their way to the town hall where Thor would undoubtedly be waiting for them. Loki had been having one of his fidgety days and Thor implored him to go outside and stretch his legs a bit. The trickster had been quick to comply.

“Living vicariously through me, Lackey?” Brunhilde replied, smiling and crouching down when a small Asgardian girl came running up to her. The girl shyly offered the Valkyrie a violet flower, which Brunhilde accepted and kissed her cheek, ruffling her hair as she stood up again. The girl ran off to rejoin her young friends.

“Just making conversation,” Loki said, casting an illusion of himself behind the small group of children. They shrieked in excitement and bolted away from the realistic image. Loki chuckled as he recalled the illusion.

“Ah. Then yes, she will likely be visiting next month,” Brunhilde replied, lifting her face up to the sunny sky. She smiled as the warm rays fell on her skin. The Valkyrie did love the nice weather. She had always been partial to warmer climates.

They reached the steps of the large building that served as the town hall and quickly jogged up them. Brunhilde held open the door and theatrically swept her arm out, bowing low. Loki rolled his eyes and entered the building, ignoring her snickering. He frowned as they moved through the hall, hearing a faint voice in the distance. If the trickster didn’t know better, he could swear it was…

“No way,” Brunhilde whispered as they turned a corner. Loki’s own eyes widened significantly and his mouth dropped open.

Thor was standing at the end of the hall, speaking to a tall man with dark skin. He was wearing the practical clothes that he had worn the last time they had seen him. Shortly before Thanos had attacked their ship, when everything started going to hell and their people started being slaughtered…

“Heimdall?” Brunhilde asked. The watcher and Thor both looked down the hall at the new arrivals. Loki felt a sense of unease, unsure how the watcher would react to him. He was even more stunned when Heimdall grinned at him. _This is…peculiar,_ Loki thought, reaching out with his magic to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. He only allowed himself a faint half-smile when he was certain the gatekeeper was, in fact, real.

“YOU!”

Loki jumped at the sound of another familiar voice. He hadn’t seen her at first. She was standing beside Heimdall, concealed from his view. But now she stepped forward and her eyes flashed with rage.

“Oh shit,” Loki muttered, jumping behind Brunhilde. The Valkyrie smirked, glancing over her shoulder.

“A scorned lover, Lackey?” she asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

“Not exactly,” Loki replied as the woman stormed down the hall.

“I would never debase myself by bedding a traitorous lying snake!” she snarled.

“Lady Sif, it’s good to—” Loki began, laying on the charm.

“Do not speak to me as if we are friends, you coward,” Sif snapped at him. “You sent me away from Asgard on a fool’s errand! My friends are dead because of you! If it weren’t for Heimdall, I wouldn’t even have known what happened to my home.”

“Ah yes, well, it wasn’t exactly a fool’s errand. I did need to know what happened to the Infinity Stones on Midgard,” Loki began, making sure to keep the Valkyrie between him and the enraged warrior. “And technically, your friends are dead because of Odin’s secrets.”

“I’m going to strangle you!”

Loki let out a yelp and jumped behind Thor, who had approached them, along with Heimdall. Thor was attempting to smother his laughter as he did his best to stay between Sif and Loki.

“Sif, my friend, please do not harm my brother,” Thor said, holding out a hand. “I know he is infuriating, but he is to thank for New Asgard’s prosperity. I could not have done this without him. He fell protecting me and when I fell in battle, he protected our people in my stead. I assure you, Loki is a changed man.”

“I do not trust him,” Sif hissed, glaring at Loki. “I will _never_ make that mistake again.”

“But do you not trust me?”

Sif turned her eyes to Thor and he offered her his usual charming grin. She glared once more at Loki and let out a huff of breath, shaking her head.

“Hi,” Brunhilde spoke up, offering Sif her hand. “I’m Brunhilde. I’ve been looking out for these two knuckleheads since Ragnarok. I’m pleased to meet someone else who understands just what hopeless fools they are.”

Sif turned her attention to Brunhilde, her eyes widening when she saw the armor and the sword. “You’re a Valkyrie!?”

Brunhilde shrugged, a half-smile dancing over her face. “Guilty.”

Sif’s mouth opened and closed a couple times. She swallowed and accepted the pre-offered hand.

“My, my, my, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the mighty Sif rendered speechless before,” Loki said from behind Thor. “I do think she’s a little star-struck. How quaint.”

“Brother,” Thor warned.

“Wow, you _really_ don’t know when to stop talking, do you?” Brunhilde mentioned and Sif just continued to glare at him. Loki glanced over to Heimdall who was standing nearby, just watching all of them with a hint of amusement in his orange eyes.

“Not that it’s not good to see you alive and whole again,” Loki mentioned. “But where have you been for the past several years?”

Heimdall smiled his usual subtle grin. “It took me a few years to reach Midgard after Thanos’ evil was undone. When I arrived, I set out to find Lady Sif. Her constant movement proved most difficult to keep up with. I could see her, but I could never seem to reach her before she moved on to a new destination. Since you and Thor seemed to have things under control here, I figured I could continue my search.”

“You could have sent word,” Loki grumbled.

“Using what?” Thor pointed out and Loki shrugged. His brother did have a point but he wouldn’t admit it aloud.

“I saw the statue in the main square,” Heimdall mentioned. “Thor tells me that was something you did. I’m honored.”

Loki sniffed. “It seemed the least I could do. Hopefully this makes up for the incident with the Casket of Ancient Winters.”

Heimdall raised an eyebrow and Loki looked away from his glowing orange gaze. _Probably not completely even then_ , the trickster thought, subtly moving around Thor so that the god of thunder was between both him and Sif. Thor laughed softly and threw an arm around his brother.

“Loki, you needn’t worry. Our friends have returned to us,” Thor said, hugging Loki tightly to his side. “This is truly a great day. We must show them to lodgings.”

The trickster sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Thankfully, there are some empty lodgings on Banner’s street. Those should be suitable.”

“I can show them, my lords,” Brunhilde spoke up and Thor nodded in gratitude. He watched as the Valkyrie left with the two Asgardians, chatting amicably with Sif. Loki crossed his arms over his chest.

“I imagine you’re going to want to throw some sort of celebratory feast,” he stated.

“Well, they are returning heroes, it seems only right,” Thor replied, turning his blue gaze to his brother. “Sadly, it will have to wait.”

“Oh?”

“I just received word that there are a few Asgardians who wish to go to Vanaheim. They have family there and they don’t feel at home on Midgard anymore.”

Loki glanced at the god of thunder. “And now that you have Stormbreaker, you can grant such requests.”

Thor nodded and turned to make his way to their offices, followed closely by his brother. “Thankfully, it seems that most of our people prefer to stay here in New Asgard. I rather welcome the opportunity. As protectors of the Nine Realms, we should keep up to date on our allies.”

Loki tilted his head a bit. “I assume you’ll travel with some guards.”

“Brother, I have no need for guards,” Thor started and Loki side-eyed him with a murderous glare. “It is a short trip to a friendly land. I’ll have Stormbreaker with me.”

“Friendly lands can still hide dangerous foes,” Loki pointed out.

“Bah, cynicism,” Thor waved him off.

“Practicality and common sense,” Loki corrected, stepping in front of his brother and putting a hand on his chest, stopping him. “Thor, you’re a leader now. Perhaps not a king, but our allies will see you as such. Not even Odin traveled without some guards.”

Thor grinned. “You won’t let this go, will you?”

Loki laughed quietly. “I never do when I’m right.”

“Very well, brother. I shall bring a few guards with me. If only to put your mind at ease,” Thor relented and Loki nodded once, satisfied. Thor’s smile dropped and he started walking again.

“Sif wasn’t the only one Heimdall searched for,” Thor mentioned, rubbing the back of his neck. “He also tried to find some of the missing Asgardians.”

Loki nodded, clutching his hands behind his back. In the chaos of Thanos’ slaughter, he’d had to use the tesseract sparingly to save as many Asgardians as he could. Unfortunately, he had been unable to open portals in the exact same place and the Asgardians had been scattered. Loki thought he had at least managed to get all of them to the same country, but he couldn’t be entirely sure. They had managed to locate most of the lost Asgardians, but there were still a few who were missing.

“Did he turn up any fresh leads?” the trickster asked, glancing over at his brother.

“Not as many as he’d hoped,” Thor mentioned, his shoulders slumping. “Including at least one family with young children.”

“Do not worry, brother. Midgard isn’t an overly hostile world.”

“It can be when you have no experience with its customs,” Thor argued and Loki couldn't help but chuckle.

“Thor, if you managed to survive this planet at your most arrogant, I’m fairly certain some well-behaved Asgardians will be fine,” Loki pointed out with his usual smirk. “Besides, you have explained the situation to your well-traveled allies. They will find them eventually.”

“It has been years, Loki,” Thor said and Loki shrugged. He hadn’t thought about the missing Asgardians recently. There wasn’t much that could be done that hadn’t already been done. Some of them probably didn’t even want to be found. Loki patted his brother’s shoulder as they continued on their way.

“I am considering asking Sif to continue searching for them while I’m away,” Thor mentioned.

“If anyone besides Heimdall can locate them, it will likely be Sif.” Loki paused and glanced over at his brother. “When are you leaving for Vanaheim?”

“In two days,” Thor answered. “I plan to spend a week there, perhaps meet with a few more allies.”

Loki made a noncommittal noise in response, uneasy at the prospect of being separated from his brother, especially at such great distance. Thor noticed his brother’s discomfort and patted Loki’s shoulder.

“Loki, you know I’d want you by my side during such a trip, but New Asgard needs one of us to remain,” Thor said gently and Loki nodded in understanding. “I promise that I’ll be careful and I will return as soon as I can.”

Loki nodded and offered his brother a small smile, trying to swallow whatever nervousness he felt.

“And I better not return home to another self-indulgent play,” Thor warned and Loki couldn’t help but laugh.

_*_

Two days later, at dawn, Loki and Brunhilde stood with Thor and the Asgardians he was transporting to Vanaheim. Heimdall stood nearby along with Sif, who refused to even look in Loki’s direction. Korg and Miek had also come to see Thor off. Thor was tightening one of his bracers, flexing his fingers to check that it wasn’t too tight.

Loki was standing stiffly, his hands clutched behind his back. He watched the Asgardians milling about, patiently waiting for the god of thunder. A few of the more experienced Einherjar also stood by. Loki had insisted four of the six that had escaped Asgard and Thanos’ wrath accompany Thor on the trip. The only reason why he hadn’t insisted all go with him was because Thor pointed out they needed a couple to train the next generation.

“No need to look so nervous, Lackey,” Brunhilde said. “According to the Guardians, word is the other realms are just as boring as Midgard. Vanaheim has been particularly uneventful.”

“That’s what concerns me,” Loki muttered. “Things have been too quiet, too peaceful.”

Brunhilde raised an eyebrow. “The new Avengers certainly seem busy enough. It’s not that there aren’t threats. It’s where they are.”

Loki made a noncommittal noise in response and Brunhilde noticed his grip tighten on his hand behind his back. He was so rigid that she imagined his shoulders would start to ache soon. Thor finally approached them, smiling.

“Well, I’m off,” he said, clutching Loki’s shoulder. “You behave.”

Loki scoffed. “Brother, I’m the god of mischief and lies. Behaving is not in my nature.”

Thor laughed and kissed his brow. “You know what I mean, Loki.”

Loki chuckled and nodded, silently reassuring his brother. Thor looked to Brunhilde, who grinned at him.

“Keep him in line,” Thor requested, raising his eyebrows slightly.

“I’m a Valkyrie, not a babysitter,” Brunhilde protested playfully. “Besides, if anything happens to you, I’ll be right next to your brother in seeking vengeance.”

“Gods, now I need to be careful. I wouldn’t want to be the cause of another apocalypse,” Thor teased. Loki swallowed and looked off in the distance. The trickster reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, withdrawing an object.

“Lady Shuri recently upgraded Wakandan communication devices,” Loki mentioned, drawing Thor’s attention. “She wants to test the range on them and a trip into space seems like the perfect test.”

Thor smiled and accepted the metallic beads, affixing them to his wrist. “I’ll contact you tonight, after I’ve made sure these people are settled.”

Loki offered him a small grin. “Safe travels, Thor.”

Thor gently gripped the back of his neck briefly, a familiar comforting gesture. It was an unspoken promise that he would return to New Asgard, to Loki. The trickster met his brother’s gaze and nodded once in understanding.

The god of thunder turned and approached the departing Asgardians. Loki, Brunhilde, Heimdall, Sif, and Korg watched as the group disappeared in a flash of bright light. The glow was so intense all of them had to look away briefly. When they looked back, there was a smoking ring in the ground.


	2. Vanished

Thor stayed true to his word and contacted Loki the night he arrived in Vanaheim. Their arrival had been uneventful and they found the realm in peace. The Vanir had contacted members of the other realms within traveling distance and Thor would be meeting with them shortly before he returned to Midgard. He just wanted to make sure they knew he and Loki were still dedicated to their safety.

Speaking with Thor helped put Loki’s mind more at ease and he busied himself with matters concerning New Asgard. Brunhilde remained at his side, acting as his personal guard as per Thor’s request. It was a relatively easy job, since there was very little out of the ordinary happening in their home. She was even able to act as a go-between since Sif refused to speak with Loki. Per Thor’s orders, Sif left a few days after Thor to see if she could find anything about the missing Asgardians.

A week passed by slowly and Thor contacted Loki again to let him know he would be home the next evening, likely at a later hour. Loki was able to tell him about Sif’s mission and Thor was pleased.

The next night, Loki and Brunhilde stood at the site where Thor had taken off. They waited for the god of thunder, listening for a familiar rumble of thunder.

The hours passed and there was no sign of Thor. Loki stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his brow furrowed. Brunhilde felt her stomach sink but rationalized that Thor might have been delayed. If he was delayed, that could explain why he didn’t contact Loki. There were a number of explanations. _No need to jump to conclusions just yet,_ she thought, glancing over at Loki.

Thor didn’t show up the next night either, or the one after that. The days drifted by lazily, gradually bleeding into a week. Then two. There was no word or sign of Thor.

Sif eventually returned, having found no sign of the missing Asgardians and all the leads she had found were soon used up. Upon hearing that Thor was missing, she immediately went after Loki but was stopped by Brunhilde.

“I give you my word, as a Valkyrie. Loki had no hand in this,” Brunhilde told her.

“You cannot know that,” Sif replied angrily. “You do not know what a good liar he is. Norns, he was probably planning this all along.”

Brunhilde licked her lips. “Lady Sif, forgive me for saying, but you weren’t there during Ragnarok and you weren’t there during the War against Thanos. You did not see Loki’s actions nor how broken he was when he lost Thor. His brother is only family Loki has left. He was willing to sacrifice everything so Thor would live. I know Loki’s an opportunistic bastard, but he does genuinely love and care about his brother.”

Sif shook her head. “He’s betrayed Thor before.”

“I am aware,” Brunhilde replied, running a hand over her face and glancing over her shoulder. “I am not asking you to trust him, but Thor placed me in charge of keeping him safe and I will do my duty. Lady Sif, a Valkyrie would never protect a traitor to the throne.”

Sif’s expression softened a little and she shifted her weight. Eventually she let out a growl and turned to continue to her home. Brunhilde watched her go and rubbed her hands together, glancing over her shoulder to the hall leading to the brothers’ offices. Loki had taken to working late and she knew he wasn’t getting nearly enough sleep. Brunhilde knew it was only a matter of time before the trickster started acting recklessly.

_*_

A month after Thor had left for Vanaheim, Loki stopped by the local hospital where Bruce Banner worked to check on the state of affairs. The busy doctor barely noticed Loki, distracted by taking stock of a shipment of vaccines.

“Hey, Loki. Not planning on allying with galaxy-killing monsters again, are you?” Bruce asked, not looking away from the box he held. Loki raised an eyebrow, ignoring Brunhilde snorting behind him.

“Bruce,” he greeted, stonily. “Not planning on turning back into a green monster and destroying everything, are we?”

“Touché,” Bruce replied with a soft laugh, putting the box back on the shelf and grabbing another. He flipped open the top and counted the bottles inside.

“How are things here?” Loki asked.

“Uh, really busy,” Banner answered, closing the box and replacing it on the shelf, closing the door of the refrigeration unit. He pushed his glasses up on his nose, marking something on the clipboard he held, and looked over at Loki. “Any word from your brother?”

“Not since he left. The fool probably found some hopeless battle to jump into the middle of,” Loki replied, his easy tone masking his concern. “I expect he’ll return soon enough.”

Bruce opened his mouth, but noticed Brunhilde shaking her head subtly behind Loki and closed it again. He offered Loki a smile and patted his arm reassuringly. “I’m sure he’s just busy, Loki.”

Loki squinted at him and then looked back at Brunhilde, who just smiled innocently. Looking back to the man hiding the monster, Loki straightened his shoulders. “If you require anything, you know where to find me.”

Bruce smiled and nodded, watching as Loki stalked out of the hospital. Brunhilde followed close behind. She opened her mouth but closed it when Loki raised a hand.

“Don’t,” he growled. “I do not want to hear false platitudes, Valkyrie.”

“Well aren’t you a ray of sunshine,” she grumbled and he spun around to glare at her.

“It has been a month, Brunhilde. A month without a word,” the trickster snapped. “We both know how Thor excels at finding trouble. We have _no_ idea where he is. Seven hells, he could be anywhere in the galaxy and we have no way of reaching him.”

Brunhilde swallowed. “Have you tried the Wakandan communication device?”

Loki rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Every night since he failed to show up. There’s no response. I’ve also had Heimdall look for him. Thor and the Einherjar seem to have simply vanished without a trace into the ether.”

Brunhilde swallowed and looked off into the distance. “Your brother is out there somewhere. He swore he’d come back and we know Thor would never break his word. Maybe he got waylaid by something.”

Loki stalked off, obviously frustrated. “Talk to Sif. She won’t take any request or order from me, perhaps with good reason, but she’s our best tracker. If Thor is on this planet, she’ll be able to find him.”

Brunhilde bit her bottom lip. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to contact some intergalactic allies,” Loki replied without turning around. “If my brother’s not on this planet, then he’s somewhere out there. And I know who will be able to find him if that’s the case.”

_*_

Loki attempted to call the Guardians throughout the afternoon, but they didn’t pick up. He nearly threw the phone across the room but instead busied himself with running New Asgard. The trickster ran into Heimdall on his way out of the town hall. The gatekeeper often took a stroll around New Asgard at night.

“Heimdall,” Loki greeted.

“Prince Loki,” Heimdall replied politely. Loki clasped his hands behind his back, looking into Heimdall’s all-seeing orange eyes.

“Have you seen anything about Thor?” he asked. Heimdall sighed and shook his head.

“I’m afraid I have not,” Heimdall said sadly. “I will continue trying, but I greatly fear for your brother. There are not many who can hide from my eyes.”

Loki looked down at his feet. At any other time, he would have come up with some cutting remark about how it wasn’t that difficult to learn how to hide from Heimdall’s eyes (a lie), but his concern over his brother inhibited his silver tongue.

“Have a good night, Heimdall,” Loki said as he stepped around the tall gatekeeper.

“You as well, Prince Loki,” Heimdall spoke kindly and continued on his way. Loki wandered the quiet streets of New Asgard, heading for home. Thousands of horrible scenarios were playing out in his mind, each worse than the last. Where could his brother be?

When he returned home, Loki tried calling the Guardians once again.

The screen filled with a clear picture of Gamora with Nebula in the background. Gamora’s eyes widened and she smiled. “If it isn’t Loki Odinson.”

“Lady Gamora, Lady Nebula,” Loki said in greeting, nodding to the sisters.

Nebula glanced up from the knife she was sharpening, glancing at the screen. She briefly lifted the knife in a small wave before turning her focus back to sharpening the blade.

“Where are the other Guardians?” the trickster asked and Gamora laughed softly.

“We just finished a rather difficult job and it’s pretty late at night. They’re all asleep. Nebula and I volunteered for first watch,” Gamora replied, craning her neck as she looked around the screen. “Where’s your brother?”

Despite the worry eating at his heart, Loki couldn’t help but smile faintly. He had missed the Guardians. “I’m afraid that’s why I’m contacting you.”

Gamora frowned and Loki swallowed, clearing his throat. He explained all that had happened, watching her expression for any hint that she had heard something. _Please let someone have heard something about my reckless fool of a brother,_ he prayed. Gamora licked her lips when Loki finished his tale, concern clear in her eyes. She glanced back at her sister, who was also staring at the screen with curiosity.

“We haven’t heard anything about your brother,” Nebula stated bluntly and Loki’s heart sank.

“I’m sorry, Loki,” Gamora said, much more sympathetically. “Last we heard, Vanaheim was still peaceful. But we’re nearby. We can drop by, if you like, have a look around.”

“Only if it’s not too much trouble,” Loki said, hoping she wouldn’t hear the desperation in his voice. If she did, Gamora didn’t mention it. She only nodded.

“We’re between jobs at the moment and we need to stop somewhere to recharge. We’ll stop at Vanaheim and report back to you in a couple days.”

“Thank you, Gamora,” Loki said, gratitude filling his words. Gamora smiled and nodded, reaching over to end the call.

“Gamora,” Loki spoke quickly and she pulled back to look at him again. “If you don’t find him and if he doesn’t return between now and then, will you and the others keep an eye out for him and let me know if you hear anything about anyone matching his description?”

“Of course, Loki,” Gamora replied with a nod. “Try not to worry too much. Your brother is one of the strongest people I’ve met. I’m sure he’s fine.”

_You didn’t grow up with him. You don’t know how easy it is for him to find trouble,_ Loki wanted to protest. Instead he just smiled and said, “Thank you, Gamora.”

She grinned and ended the call. Loki sat back in the couch, resting a hand on his brow. He closed his eyes and tried to use his magic to feel for Thor. He remembered Frigga once telling him that if a bond was strong enough, one person could sometimes glean another’s location or a vague idea of it. Loki himself had never been able to do it, though when he was younger, he could often sense when Thor was in trouble or in need of aid. But that had become less and less easy to do when they drifted apart.

As he expected, Loki was unable to find any trace of his missing brother. Weariness came over him, pressing down on him like a heavy boulder. _Where are you, Thor?_

_*_

The weeks turned into months and no one could find any trace of Thor. Loki was certain that his brother had somehow been brought into a liminal space. It was the most likely explanation for Heimdall’s inability to see Thor anywhere. It would also explain how the god of thunder disappeared without a trace.

The Guardians’ visit to Vanaheim was uneventful and they could find no answers. Thor had arrived and left uneventfully. Quill and Gamora swore they would continue asking around. If they found anything, they would contact Loki immediately.

Sif also found no trace of Thor, though she searched high and low. The warrior even tracked strange weather anomalies. While she managed to find a few rather interesting creatures (including at least one that Loki had no idea what in the seven hells it actually was), Sif could find no trace of Thor.

Until seven months after he went missing.

Loki and Brunhilde were speaking to a pair of Asgardians (rather large Asgardians) over a property dispute. Brunhilde was mainly there to make sure things didn’t come to blows. Loki was only half-paying attention to whatever the two individuals were saying. Brunhilde occasionally nudged him to make sure he at least nodded in the appropriate place.

“Hey man.”

_Oh thank the gods,_ Loki thought as he turned his attention to Korg, who wandered up next to the two of them.

“Your brother, the one with the lightning and thunder,” Korg began, swirling his finger around a bit to indicate the weather. “Did he usually leave the ground a smoky ashy heap?”

Loki felt his breath catch in his throat and he coughed. “Yes, if he’s traveling with Stormbreaker, the ground will be scorched.”

“Oh well then. The nice lady in the armor, the other one, I think she might have found something,” Korg replied, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb. “She’s on a video call back at the office, asked to—”

Loki didn’t wait to hear the end of the Kronan’s sentence as he dashed across the street to the town hall, leaping up the stairs. He nearly slipped on the slick tiles in his rush to get to the conference room. He could hear Brunhilde just behind him, but the trickster paid her no heed.

The wide screen was still on, Sif’s impatient expression slightly off to the side. Loki pressed the button that would allow him to speak with her.

“Korg said you found something,” he spoke breathlessly. Sif’s eyes narrowed but she nodded once and turned the phone around, pointing it toward the ground. Loki squinted and moved closer to the screen, studying the odd sight.

It had been months since Thor landed in the spot. The grass was already growing over the scorch marks to the point where it was just a faint discoloration in the ground. But that wasn’t the most peculiar thing the dark-haired trickster noticed. Glancing over his shoulder, Loki gestured for Brunhilde to come closer. The Valkyrie did and studied the image on the screen.

“Brunhilde, tell me, do you see ruins?” Loki asked. Brunhilde scrunched up her nose and moved a little closer to the screen, squinting. After a moment, she leaned back and shook her head.

“Sif, do you see ruins?” Loki called out.

“What ruins? There are no ruins,” Sif answered testily.

“There are,” Loki argued, pointing at the screen. “Just around where the scorch marks were. They’re glistening, sort of iridescent. It would appear that only those who practice magic can see them.”

“What does that mean?” Brunhilde asked and Loki shook his head, shrugging.

“My guess? Thor might have come across a mage, a fairly powerful one at that,” Loki replied. “It would add credence to my theory that my brother is in a liminal space. A place between worlds or some constructed pocket of reality.”

Loki straightened up again, his eyes going wide. He took a few steps back and visibly swallowed.

“Loki? What is it?”

The trickster pointed a shaking finger at the screen. “Right in the middle, there’s a symbol. It looks…it looks like my helmet.”

Loki turned wide eyes to Brunhilde. “This mage may have used my image to lure Thor to them.”

_*_

After asking Brunhilde to tell Sif to return to New Asgard, Loki and the Valkyrie decided they would journey to the place where the scorch marks were and investigate further. If magic had been used, Loki would be able to track it. They planned to leave once Sif returned. The trickster intended to leave her, Heimdall, and Korg in charge of New Asgard in his stead. He was certain it would only take a few days. Loki already felt more reassured: they had a starting point. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

The night before Brunhilde and Loki were going to leave on their journey, the trickster spent a few hours sharpening his knives. He took good care of his weapons, but the repetitive motion was also calming. After he finished that task, he practiced a few small spells, checking to make sure his control of magic was still solid.

It was late when Loki finally turned in for the night. His eyes wandered to his brother’s empty bed and he felt a small pang of sadness. Life was lonely without Thor, something he would never admit out loud. Switching off the small lamp in the room, Loki climbed into his bed and curled up under the covers, closing his eyes. He slid his hand under the pillow, wrapping his fingers around the grip of the knife he kept under there.

The trickster had always been a somewhat light sleeper, much lighter than any of his family. It was something that had gotten worse after his fall from the Bifrost. After he had encountered Thanos. After that, the smallest sound could wake Loki. It had taken him a couple years to get used to it and Loki sometimes still struggled to get a full night’s sleep.

Almost no one else would have heard the almost silent shuffling steps. Loki’s eyes snapped open and he tightened his grip on the knife under his pillow. Slowing his breathing, Loki listened closer, trying to figure out if it was just an animal. There was a loud thump of something heavy falling to the ground and the trickster sat upright, pulling his knife out. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Loki stood up and made his way to the closed door. Glancing once at the clock, he noted that he had only been asleep for a little more than two hours.

Carefully opening the door, Loki held his breath as he stepped out into the small hall, moving stealthily to the main area of the house. He could see a tall figure in the shadows, near the kitchen doorway. Loki squinted, studying the form. There was something…familiar about it.

Reaching over to the wall, Loki found the light switch and turned on the lights in the main area of the small house. A warm glow filled the darkened area and Loki gasped in shock.

“Thor!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eep, first cliffhanger. Apologies. And there is a cliffhanger in the next chapter as well, though it's not nearly as bad as this one (I don't think).
> 
> The phone Loki uses to contact the Guardians is the same one from "The Unlikely Guardian" (it was a gift from Shuri to Thor). I wanted a Gamora and Nebula cameo because I adore them.
> 
> Kudos and reviews are most welcome.
> 
> See all of you on Friday!


	3. Returned

Thor stood unsteadily, staring inside the kitchen. He was shivering violently and Loki could hear his teeth chattering even from across the room. When Loki called his name, he went rigid and spun around, swaying. His brow furrowed and he looked confused, glancing back at the kitchen. The trickster quickly crossed the space, feeling both infuriated and overjoyed. The god of thunder turned back to him, visibly swallowing.

“Loki?” he managed to say. Loki lunged forward when Thor’s legs buckled, catching his brother. He cringed at how cold Thor was.

“Seven hells, Thor! You’re colder than Jotunheim,” the trickster exclaimed as he pulled his brother’s arm over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist, helping Thor stay on his feet.

Thor frowned and his confused expression was not at all reassuring. “What?”

“Never mind,” Loki grumbled, nodding across the room. “Come on, let’s warm you up.”

Helping the tall god of thunder over to the couch, Loki quickly draped a blanket around his shoulders. Moving to the hall closet, the trickster retrieved all the blankets they had and moved back into the main area of the house. Thor was still sitting on the couch, trembling. Loki swiftly set about draping more blankets around his brother. Reaching forward, he rested his palm on Thor’s forehead, taking note of how cold he still was. For a moment, Loki debated calling forth what memories Thor had of his absence, but decided to wait until his brother had warmed up a little more. He didn’t want to go poking about Thor’s head when he was still very obviously disoriented.

Thor’s hand suddenly shot out, latching onto Loki’s wrist. He pulled the trickster a little closer, squinting as he searched his face.

“Loki, you-you live?” he asked, putting one icy hand on the side of Loki’s face. Tears welled up in his eye.

The question made Loki frown and he stared at Thor, who was looking at him with something akin to disbelief. After a moment, the trickster nodded and put his hand over his brother’s.

“Did you think I no longer did?” Loki asked, curious. Thor swallowed and let go of Loki’s wrist, dropping his hand from the trickster’s face and looking off to the side.

“Maybe? I do not know,” he replied quietly, frowning a little. “I…I do not know why I asked that.”

Loki strode over to the thermostat, turning it up. “We can speak of it later. Right now, let’s just get you warm. I’ll make some tea.”

“I’m very tired,” Thor said, sounding uneasy, clutching the blankets tighter around himself. “Can I please sleep? It feels like I haven’t slept for a very long time.”

The trickster turned back to his brother, furrowing his brow. “I don’t know, Thor. I think we should consider going to the hospital.”

Thor ran an unsteady hand over his face, his entire frame still shaking. “Can it wait until the morning? Please, brother. I am so tired.”

Loki swallowed, every instinct screaming at him to bring his brother to the hospital. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Thor had been missing for months and now he couldn’t stop shivering and was unnaturally cold. _But maybe he does just need to sleep a bit. It’s not overly long until dawn,_ Loki thought as he ran a hand through his dark hair. Thor looked at him, his gaze pleading and the trickster sighed.

“Very well, but if you get any worse, I’m going to drag you to the hospital,” Loki warned. Thor nodded and pulled the blankets tighter around him, glancing around the space. Moving back to the couch, the trickster knelt down and pulled his brother’s boots off. Loki turned his attention to Thor’s armor and helped the god of thunder remove it. Once that was done, Loki helped his brother to his feet and led him to the bedroom toward the back of the house.

Loki watched as Thor buried himself under the blankets he still had around him, pulling them tighter. The trickster pulled the bed covers over his brother’s shivering form. Unease was nagging at him, but Loki pushed it down. He turned to leave the room, stopped only by Thor’s quiet shaking voice.

“Please don’t leave, Loki,” he said, reaching out for the trickster. Loki twisted a little so that he could look at Thor.

“I’ll be right back, Thor. I just need to turn off a few lights,” the trickster reassured him. Thor studied him for a moment before nodding, but he still seemed a little worried. Loki went back into the main area of the house. He picked up Thor’s armor and boots, moving over to a small closet. As he put the armor away, Loki carefully examined it for any clues that would tell him about Thor’s whereabouts. It was unnaturally cold, but unlike his brother, the armor was starting to warm up. Loki scowled in frustration when he couldn’t find anything useful and closed the closet door. He switched off all the lights and then made his way to the back of the small home.

Re-entering the bedroom, Loki noticed that Thor was still shivering and his teeth were still chattering, but his expression brightened when Loki returned. The heat inside the house was climbing and Loki could feel droplets of sweat form on his temple. He would be sweating soon, but Thor was still trembling as though cold.

Frowning, Loki made his way over to Thor’s bed and climbed in under the covers. He wrapped an arm around the god of thunder, holding his brother close. _Norns, he’s still ice cold,_ Loki thought as he tightened his grip and attempted to share what little warmth he possessed with his brother.

The trickster didn’t sleep all night, though his elder brother did. Thor’s violent shivering and Loki’s racing mind prevented the dark-haired god from falling asleep again. When the sun rose, Loki carefully slid out of the bed and quickly changed his clothes before making his way to the kitchen. He filled a kettle with water and put it on the stove, intending to make tea. As he waited for the water to heat up, Loki called Brunhilde.

After getting cursed out for waking her so early, Loki told the Valkyrie what had happened. He then got cursed out for not calling her immediately and Brunhilde said she would be over in a few minutes before promptly hanging up on him. Moving back to the bedroom, Loki checked on his brother. The shivering seemed a little less noticeable, but the god of thunder still felt incredibly cold. Loki’s brow furrowed as he pulled the covers more over Thor. The god of thunder sighed in his sleep and turned over, curling up even more.

Hearing a whistle from the kettle, Loki made his way back to the kitchen. He turned off the burner and set about making tea. As he prepared a cup of tea, Loki’s eyes wandered to the back entrance of the house. He frowned when he noticed Stormbreaker lying on the floor. His brother had never been careless with his weapons. It was frequently annoying how fastidious Thor was about properly storing and caring for his weapons. He never just dropped them on the floor.

Loki shook his head and walked out of the kitchen, heading toward the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook Thor.

“Thor, wake up,” he said, shaking a little harder. Thor awoke with a gasp, his eyes darting around the small room before landing on Loki. He frowned and ran a hand through his hair.

“Loki?” he asked, squinting at the trickster. “How…how did I get here? Why is it so cold?”

“I was hoping you might tell me,” Loki replied, offering the cup to his brother. “Drink this. It will help warm you.”

Thor took the cup, sipping the steaming liquid, his eye wandering back out the window near his bed. He squinted at the glass. “Brother, is this your doing?”

Loki followed his gaze, noticing the trees had changed color. _Damn,_ Loki thought, realizing that Thor was probably missing time. Looking back to Thor, he offered him a small grin.

“I’m afraid not. Even I’m not powerful enough to change Midgardian seasons. It’s autumn,” he said. Thor looked confused, slowly lowering the cup and looking back out the window.

“But…that’s not possible. It was the beginning of the spring season when I left for Vanaheim last week,” Thor argued. Loki glanced behind him as he figured out what to say.

“Brother, I’m afraid you’ve been missing for quite some time,” Loki explained as he looked back to Thor. “We don’t know where you’ve been and Sif only recently found the spot where you landed on Midgard. Do you truly not remember anything?”

Thor stared at him with an expression of disbelief. Another tremor went through him and he would have dropped the cup of tea had it not been for Loki’s quick reflexes. With his free hand, Loki reached out and gripped Thor’s shoulder.

“I don’t…I don’t remember anything beyond leaving Vanaheim,” Thor said, his brow furrowing as though he were trying to sort through memories. “I don’t even remember returning to Midgard.”

“Do you remember how you got here? How you got back home?”

Thor shook his head. “No. When did I get back?”

“You don’t remember?” Loki asked, his eyebrows rising slightly. _Loki, you’re alive?_ Thor had asked him last night. The trickster had been so overwhelmed with relief that he hadn’t realized how broken the question had sounded.

The god of thunder shook his head, looking a little more concerned. Loki handed him back the tea.

“Finish that, you’re still cold as ice,” Loki ordered, wringing his hands subtly. “When you’re done, I’m going to sort around your memories, see what I can find. Will you let me, brother?”

Thor looked suspiciously at the trickster’s faintly glowing hands, but nodded once. He finished the rest of the tea and set the cup aside. Loki placed his palm on Thor’s brow, closing his own eyes and using his seidr to reach into his brother’s mind. His brow furrowed as he searched for memories. He could see hazy images of Vanaheim, various Vanir faces, his brother’s glowing confidence. The further into the Vanaheim trip he got, a fog started creeping in. It overtook Thor’s memories after he left Vanaheim. The fog was so thick that Loki could see nothing. No matter what tactic he tried, Loki could find no memory. Thor’s mind was blank until waking that morning. He didn’t even remember returning home.

After a few moments of trying, Loki felt a headache starting to form and he pulled back. Thor let out a sigh of relief, rubbing his brow and Loki swallowed, watching his older brother.

“Did you see anything?” Thor asked.

Loki shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Something feels off though, perhaps another’s magic pushing back against my own.”

Thor opened his mouth to reply when their front door was suddenly thrown open. “Where the bloody hell is he!? And why is it so damn hot in here!?”

“Right, I called Brunhilde,” Loki mentioned before turning his attention to the open door. “In here, Valkyrie.”

A few seconds later, she was standing in the doorway, grinning. “Welcome back, big guy. You saved Lackey and me a trip.”

“Stormbreaker,” Thor suddenly exclaimed, looking over at Loki. “Did I have my weapon?”

“Yes, you dropped it by the back door,” Loki reassured him, looking over to the Valkyrie. “Brunhilde, would you mind bringing it in here? You can’t miss it.”

Brunhilde rolled her eyes and stepped away from the door, while Loki turned his attention back to Thor. The god of thunder was pulling the covers tighter around him, starting to shiver again. A moment later, Brunhilde returned with Stormbreaker and put it next to Thor’s bed.

“Why is it _boiling_ in here?” she asked, wiping the sweat from her brow. “It feels like a sweat lodge.”

Thor frowned and looked over at Loki. “Why do I feel cold?”

Loki shrugged. “I don’t know, Thor. That’s why I wanted to bring you to a hospital last night. Something I still think we should do.”

Thor shook his head. “I’m starting to feel warmer already, brother. I just need to rest a little longer.”

“Thor,” Loki started when he heard a soft beeping. Both brothers turned their attention to Brunhilde, who pulled a phone out of a pouch on her belt.

“Lackey, you have that meeting with Dr. Selvig about his research project,” she mentioned, slipping the phone back into the pouch. “It’s been on the books since before Thor pulled his disappearing act. One of you needs to be there.”

“Really? It can’t be rescheduled?” Loki asked, attempting to remove the irritation from his tone. The last thing he wanted to do was leave Thor, not so soon after he had returned.

“Brother, I promised him access to New Asgard’s research facilities and resources,” Thor mentioned. _Of course he remembers asinine mortal projects,_ Loki thought as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“It won’t take overly long,” Brunhilde mentioned. “I don’t think it will be more than an hour or two. You just have to look over his proposal and then introduce him to a couple scientists. They’ll do the rest.”

“All right, I’ll go on one condition,” Loki relented, turning his eyes to Thor. “When I get back, we’re going straight to the hospital. I want Banner to give you a full medical examination, primitive though Midgardian medicine may be.”

Thor laughed and nodded in agreement. “Very well, brother. You help Dr. Selvig and then we shall go see Dr. Banner.”

Loki let out a huff of annoyance and stood up, moving toward the door, looking to Brunhilde. “Stay here with him. If he gets _any_ worse, take him directly to the hospital. Enlist Korg’s aid if he acts like a stubborn fool.”

“You have my word,” Brunhilde assured him, bumping his shoulder lightly. “It’ll be fine, Lackey. Your brother’s back and not at death’s door. That’s a good thing.”

Loki gave her a skeptical look and glanced back at his brother once more, a spike of fear going through him when Thor offered him a reassuring smile. _Everything will be fine. He’s back and that’s enough for now. One crisis at a time,_ Loki thought, nodding once before making his way out of the house.

_*_

Brunhilde had wisely notified Sif of the meeting. Dr. Selvig had visited during Thor’s absence after the War of the Gauntlet, shortly before the god of thunder had returned to New Asgard. The man spent the entire time hiding behind Darcy Lewis and refused to be alone for any amount of time with the trickster. No matter what Loki said or did, nothing could put the skittish doctor at ease. Loki couldn’t blame him, but that didn’t make it any less tiring.

Sif met Loki just outside the meeting room, her arms crossed over her chest. Her hair was tied back tightly and she regarded him with cold eyes. It took every ounce of self-control Loki had not to massage his temples. He didn’t have the patience for this.

“I’m trusting Thor’s judgement in letting you be around Midgardians,” Sif warned. “But know that if I suspect you’re up to your old tricks, I will not hesitate to do what it takes to ensure their safety.”

“Gone soft in your years of exile, Sif? Color me surprised,” Loki remarked coolly, stepping around her and into the conference room. Dr. Selvig was already seated, but when Loki entered, he jumped up with a quiet yelp and promptly hid behind the assistant who was accompanying him. The trickster rolled his eyes as he made his way to the other side of the table, making sure to give the man as much room as he possibly could. Selvig didn’t relax until Sif entered behind Loki, offering him a kind smile.

“I apologize for my brother’s absence,” Loki began. “He just returned from a long trip and is very tired. I know neither of us really wants to be here, so let’s just get this over with. My brother and I are granting your request for access to New Asgard’s scientific facilities. I assume you’ve brought your proposal with you?”

Selvig glanced over at Sif, visibly swallowing. “Um, y-yes.”

The assistant, a young man, pulled a thick packet out of the red folder he was holding, sliding it across the table to the trickster. Loki caught it and flipped through a few pages, frowning as he skimmed the small print and various formulas. His phone started vibrating in the inner pocket of his jacket and Loki pulled it out, glancing at it and feeling his heart sink when he saw the message from Brunhilde.

_Lackey, you need to get to the hospital right now._

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m needed elsewhere,” Loki said hurriedly as he stood up, drawing a confused look from Sif. “Lady Sif, would you mind showing Dr. Selvig and his associate to our astronomy center? Introduce him to Freya, she’ll be able to show him around and introduce him to the others. They know he has full access. Dr. Selvig, it was good to see you again. Best of luck with your research.”

Loki started making his way out of the room, stopped only by Sif’s hand on his arm. “Loki, what is going on?”

“I’m not sure,” Loki replied quietly, glancing out the windows to the colorful trees outside. “I need to get to the hospital. Please just make sure Dr. Selvig has what he needs.”

Sif glanced over at Selvig and his assistant before turning her eyes back to Loki, nodding once. The trickster quickly made his way out of the room, doing his best not to dash out of the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Duh-duh-duh! :) I hope that isn't a terrible cliffhanger to leave you on over the weekend and my sincerest apologies if it is.
> 
> Hey, Thor's back! YAY! Funnily enough, while I was writing the first draft of this fic, I contemplated having him missing for two chapters. However, I found that it brought the fic to a screeching halt (and no matter what I tried, it read like I was just trying to pad out the story and not in a good way). I realized that bringing Thor back in the third chapter kept the momentum going, which I wanted.
> 
> By the way, writing mysteries? It's really quite fun :)
> 
> The next chapter has some of my favorite dialogue in this fic. I normally struggle with dialogue, but there are a few conversations in this story that I'm really happy with how they came out. I hope readers will agree :)
> 
> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated (I do love reading readers reactions to these chapters and responding to all of you).
> 
> See all of you Monday for chapter four (entitled "Unnatural Cold")


	4. Unnatural Cold

The hospital was within walking distance of the town hall, but it still felt like it took an eternity to reach it. Loki shoved open the door and moved to the front desk, asking the receptionist to direct him to his brother or the Valkyrie. He was directed to the second floor and promptly got in the elevator, doing his best not to fidget throughout the short ride.

When the doors opened, Loki strode out and almost immediately spotted Brunhilde standing beside Banner down the hall. The trickster approached them, glancing in the windows to what held their attention. His brother was lying in a large bed, seemingly asleep. There were a few intravenous medicines attached to him and he was covered with heavy blankets, a couple of which glowed. There were some nurses in the room, checking the readouts of the machines around the bed.

“What happened?” Loki asked dully, studying his brother’s trembling form.

“Shortly after you left, he fell asleep. The shivering got worse and I couldn’t wake him up, so I called Dr. Banner,” Brunhilde explained, also watching the god of thunder.

“Wish you would have called me sooner,” Banner put in, glancing down at the chart he held. “Best I can tell, he has hypothermia, but…”

Loki raised an eyebrow and looked over at Banner when he trailed off, noticing the man frowning at whatever he was reading. “But…?”

Banner scratched the back of his head, his brow furrowing. “Well, the symptoms indicate hypothermia, but…it’s like Thor can’t retain heat anymore. We’re treating for hypothermia and he’s responding pretty well, but if we take the blankets away, his temperature drops unusually fast. And he’s not getting any warmer, no matter what we do. We’re basically just able to maintain his temperature. I’m concerned this is only a temporary fix.”

Loki swallowed and looked back to his brother, squinting when he noticed a faint shimmer. Something was tickling the back of his mind.

“Is there any sort of Asgardian illness or poison that causes symptoms like this?” Banner asked, glancing between Brunhilde and Loki. “It could possibly be some kind of infection. There’s a cut on the back of his arm and another near his lower back. The one on his back showed signs of infection, so we treated that. I know using poisoned weapons isn’t out of the realm of possibilities for you guys.”

“This isn’t like any poison or illness I know of,” Brunhilde mentioned, looking over at the trickster, who was frowning deeply in thought. “The cold makes me think of Jotunheim. Do Frost Giants have any sort of poison that would cause this?”

Loki turned his attention to her, eyes widening ever so slightly. “Don’t look at me. I may be Jotun by birth but I was raised Asgardian. We didn’t have many lessons on the history of our enemies. One of Odin’s many failings.”

“Well I can keep treating this like hypothermia, but I’m not sure if Thor will continue responding positively,” Banner said. “I’m not feeling overly confident that will be the case, based on these readings.”

“It’s not hypothermia,” Loki muttered to himself, looking to Banner. “May I go in and sit with him?”

Banner nodded and Loki moved over to the door, entering the room. He nodded politely at the nurses as he moved to his brother’s bedside. Carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, Loki took his brother’s hand in his own. Running his other hand over Thor’s arm, he could feel the unnatural cold, but there was something else, something fainter. Something just out of his perception, lurking deep beneath muscle and bone.

Loki’s brow furrowed when he noticed a strange swirling beneath his brother’s skin, similar to what he had seen in Jane Foster when she was afflicted with Aether, but this was much more subtle and less noticeable, nowhere near as powerful but possibly still dangerous. It made Loki incredibly uneasy, but it also piqued his curiosity. He reached out to touch the most obvious swirling and it seemed to recoil from his fingers, disappearing deep beneath Thor’s flesh. _Definitely not as powerful as Aether,_ Loki thought as he turned Thor’s arm slightly, contemplating reaching out with his seidr.

“Loki?”

Loki looked away from Thor’s arm to his face, grinning faintly. “Yes, brother, it’s me. You’ve gotten yourself into yet another mess. Why am I not surprised?”

Thor didn’t open his eye but burrowed down more beneath the covers. “It’s cold.”

“The Midgardians think you have hypothermia. Perhaps walking all the way home from wherever you were wasn’t the wisest idea,” Loki suggested, glancing around at the machines. Thor’s heart was still beating steadily and his respiration also seemed normal. There was a sense of calm and serenity in the room.

“I didn’t,” Thor protested softly. “I…don’t think I did.”

“I was teasing you, Thor,” Loki replied, turning his attention back to the swirling. It was starting to get even less noticeable.

“Did you get Dr. Selvig what he needed?”

Loki rolled his eyes and shook his head, running a hand over his face. Of course his brother would be thinking of that. While Thor’s newfound sense of responsibility was a breath of fresh air, and definitely made him a good leader, it was also rather infuriating at times.

“Yes, brother, that’s all been taken care of,” Loki assured him. Thor opened his eyes and looked at Loki, smiling fondly.

“I’ll be all right,” Thor spoke quietly with that comforting sense of sureness that was so uniquely Thor. Loki forced himself to smile his usual charming grin.

“Of course you’ll be all right. You’re Thor,” the trickster replied confidently.

“You look worried, brother,” Thor pointed out and Loki let out a breathy laugh.

“Never,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Even if I was, I would think you’d be pleased. I know how much you enjoy sentiment.”

Thor laughed, gently squeezing Loki’s hand. “You have mother’s wit. I know she was always proud of that.”

Loki’s smile faltered a little and he swallowed, turning his attention back to his brother’s arm. The swirling was still there and it was bothering him. A disquieting memory wormed its way into his mind and Loki glanced around at the machines. He bit his lip, considering a risky test. _Might as well do it in a hospital. It’s the best place to try it, in case I’m right,_ the trickster thought as he turned his attention back to his brother, carefully releasing his hand.

“Thor, I want you to try something, but I must warn you: it might cause you a moderate amount of pain if what I suspect is right,” Loki started and Thor stared at him.

“What are you thinking?” Thor asked warily. Loki smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

“I read about a very complicated kind of spell ages ago that hadn’t been used in centuries, a sort of ancient magic,” he explained, sounding more confident than he felt. “Some of your symptoms are reminiscent of what I read. I just want to rule it out and I would prefer to be in a hospital when testing this particular theory.”

Thor rolled his eye. “That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence, Loki.”

The god of thunder ran a hand over his face, looking up at the trickster. He let out a resigned sigh and dropped his hand to the bed.

“It will not harm anyone, will it?” Thor asked and Loki shook his head. “Not even you?”

Loki snickered. “Especially not me. I’m not _that_ fond of you, brother.”

Thor arched an eyebrow, his expression disturbingly similar to Loki’s. “Very well. Tell me what to do.”

Loki inched a little closer, ready to jump in if something went wrong. Which was a distinct possibility, especially if what he suspected was right.

“I want you to try to use your lightning. Nothing big or flashy, don’t show off. Something small,” Loki instructed. “Make a spark with your fingers.”

Thor gave him a questioning look, but Loki just watched him carefully and waited patiently for his brother to do as asked. Thor sighed and lifted a hand. He was exhausted and cold and really wanted to sleep. However, he decided to humor his brother. Perhaps it would lead to answers and relief from the cold.

Normally, creating a spark between his fingers was just second nature and required no effort at all. It was something Thor could do in his sleep, as natural as breathing. However, when he attempted to create a spark, the god of thunder was suddenly consumed with white hot agony. It felt like every bone in his body was being compressed, every muscle lighting on fire and twisting. In the distance he heard a scream and after a moment, realized it was him.

Loki lunged forward and held his brother down when Thor let out a yell, clutching his head. His features twisted in pain and his body went rigid. A cacophony of alarms blared in the room, shattering the peaceful calm, and Loki turned wide eyes to the machines that surrounded the bed. They were flashing and the readings were all over the place. Beneath his hand, Loki could feel the erratic hammering of his brother’s heart and for a moment, he was worried it would give out.

“Thor? Thor! Listen to me,” Loki commanded as he tightly gripped onto his brother’s shoulders, yelling over the loud alarms. “You need to breathe. Try to relax, brother.”

The god of thunder continued writhing on the bed, though Loki could hear him try to get his breathing back under control. His fingers were still digging into his temples and his eyes were clenched shut. The rigidity of his body spoke of pain and Loki swallowed his nervousness. _That might not have been the best idea I’ve ever had,_ he thought.

Cautiously letting go of one of Thor’s shoulders, Loki placed a hand on his brother’s chest and used his seidr to slow Thor’s heart to a normal rhythm. After a moment one machine stopped shrieking and Loki cautiously sat back. Behind him, he could hear the door opening. Banner and a few nurses rushed in, pushing Loki off to the side so they could see to Thor. Loki watched Thor until a nurse stepped in front of him, blocking the trickster’s view of his brother. Turning around, Loki silently strode out of the room.

“What in the seven hells did you do?” Brunhilde demanded as he exited the room.

“Tested a theory,” Loki replied easily, masking whatever concern he felt as he leaned back against the windows. “I remember reading about an ancient practice when I first started studying magic. Mages would sometimes make use of a complicated mix of spells and poison that would turn an enemy’s mind against them, forcing them to confront their greatest fears using illusions so realistic that the afflicted couldn’t tell the difference. Getting someone in a state of such fear can make them pliable in a number of ways. It can give a mage an opening, a chance to cast an even more devastating attack.”

Loki paused, glancing back inside at his brother. “There’s a spell at work in Thor, binding his lightning and turning it against him. Lightning has always been an important part of my brother, even when he was but a child. The unnatural cold might be due to his body simply not knowing how to exist without that power.”

Brunhilde let out a slow breath, putting her hands on her hips. “I vaguely remember such stories from my time as a Valkyrie. Such tactics were used on our ancestors sometimes. Bor and Odin had all practitioners of such spells and methods executed before I was even born. If I recall, such spells required a very specific elixir to undo. Usually only the caster of the spell possessed it.”

Loki nodded. “I remember reading similar accounts, deep in the archives of Asgard. I’m rather interested to know who is still practicing such ancient Asgardian magic on Midgard.”

Brunhilde rubbed the back of her neck, closing her eyes. “I was supposed to be visiting Wakanda in a week’s time. Damn Odinsons and your ability to stumble upon ridiculous amounts of trouble. Your recklessness is affecting my love life, you do realize that right?”

Loki smirked and glanced behind him when he heard the last alarm go silent. He watched as the nurses cautiously straightened up and Banner checked the machines surrounding Thor. His brother’s form was less rigid, indicating he wasn’t in as much pain. Loki felt some tension leave his shoulders. Though he was worried about his brother, the trickster couldn’t help but feel a small thrill of excitement at the prospect of facing off against a mage. Sure, she or he probably wouldn’t be anywhere near as skilled or experienced as Loki, but it might provide some amusement at the very least.

Both Asgardians turned when Banner moved out of the room. He placed his small flashlight in a pocket in his lab coat. Loki noticed the nurses were preparing to move his brother’s bed.

“I’m not sure what you did, but I would strongly advise not doing it again. Thor’s vitals went haywire and in his current condition, that could be extremely dangerous,” Banner said, sticking his hands in his coat pockets. “I’m going to take him for some scans and maybe an x-ray would be worthwhile. I’m also going to run some blood tests.”

“If you wish,” Loki said. “But I do not think you will learn anything. This is almost certainly a very specific kind of spell, an ancient one from Asgard.”

“Oh?” Bruce said, his eyebrows knitting together. “Do you know how to fix it or break it? Whatever you do with spells.”

“I’ll have to find the mage who cast it, but when I do, yes, I will be able to fix it,” Loki replied with a confident nod. Brunhilde glanced over at him, concern coloring her features. Bruce looked to her questioningly.

“Brunhilde?”

The Valkyrie licked her lips and met the doctor’s gaze. “Loki’s our most powerful mage and he has the most experience in using magic. If anyone can challenge whoever cast this spell, it’ll be him.”

Bruce nodded, letting out his breath slowly. “Okay. Well, if you need any help, from me or…you know, the green guy, you let me know.”

Brunhilde offered him a small smile of appreciation. Bruce turned and followed the nurses who were wheeling Thor’s bed to the large elevator at the end of the hall. Loki glanced at his brother’s face and almost cringed at how unnaturally pale Thor was. He watched the small group until they reached the elevator and the door slid shut.

“So, what’s our next step?” Brunhilde asked. Loki frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, thinking over the question.

“If we weren’t dealing with a mage, investigating the area where Sif found old scorch marks would be the most logical course of action,” Loki thought out loud, rolling his neck so that he worked out the stiffness. “But since we’re almost certainly dealing with a mage, and one who probably has some experience, that would be a waste of time. Thor disappeared from Heimdall’s sight, meaning he was probably brought into some kind of liminal space. Which means he could have been just about anywhere.”

Loki groaned and rested a hand on the back of his neck. This was starting to get frustrating. While a mage would certainly provide an interesting opponent, and perhaps some brief entertainment, it was also going to present some annoying problems.

“And Thor can’t remember anything from the time he was missing,” Brunhilde mentioned, glancing over at the trickster. “Could you do that thing you did to me? Back on Sakaar?”

Loki shook his head. “Unfortunately not. I was able to get a brief glimpse of the barriers in Thor’s mind. They’re tailor made to withstand Asgardian magic. I got the sense they were built to keep me out specifically. If I tried more aggressive methods, I risk breaking Thor’s mind and I don’t think my brother would appreciate that.”

“Well, there goes that idea,” Brunhilde muttered. Loki raised an eyebrow and looked sideways at the Valkyrie, a small smirk playing on his lips.

“Not necessarily,” he said cryptically. Brunhilde looked over at him, noticing his expression.

“Let me guess: you have an idea.”

Loki merely smiled and dipped his head once. He did have a thought, one that he hoped would work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens. Loki is excited to face off against another mage, perhaps just a bit too excited (but I mean, he is Loki, so obviously he's going to be overconfident). Hey, there was a mini-Revengers reunion in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed that.
> 
> So, good news: I reviewed the chapters that will be posted on Fridays (chapter 6 and 9) and the cliffhangers on those are relatively soft. They're definitely not mean or terrible. That means you probably won't be cursing my name over the weekends ;)
> 
> Next chapter is entitled "Help from an Old Friend" and it has one of my favorite scenes.
> 
> Kudos and reviews are greatly, greatly appreciated.
> 
> See all of you on Wednesday!


	5. Help from an Old Friend

Two days passed and there was no change in Thor’s condition. Bruce managed to get his temperature stabilized, but the god of thunder still frequently shivered with cold. Loki spent most of the time sitting at his brother’s bedside, keeping Thor company. They had temporarily put Heimdall, Sif, and Korg in charge. They had their hands full preparing for the winter that would be arriving in a few short months.

Loki looked over at Thor when he lifted his hand. The trickster immediately reached out and latched onto his wrist. When the god of thunder looked at him, Loki shook his head.

“Don’t do it, Thor,” the trickster warned. Thor dropped his hand and slumped back in bed, looking amusingly petulant.

“It feels weird,” he grumbled.

“Only because you know you can’t use lightning. You don’t often use it idly when you can,” Loki pointed out. “It’s better to feel strangely than the alternative. Even the smallest spark could potentially damage your heart or cause organ failure. We may be stronger than the Midgardians and most other mortals, but we are not invincible, brother.”

Thor draped an arm over his eyes, nodding in understanding. Loki glanced at the machine that monitored his brother’s temperature. It was still much lower than it should have been, but it hadn’t dropped anymore. Loki was begrudgingly impressed with Banner’s improvisations. He was a fast learner and could frequently figure out how to work around the differences in Asgardian biology and physiology. His remedies were certainly helping to keep Thor alive and relatively comfortable. As comfortable as the god could be.

A knock on the door drew both gods’ attention. Brunhilde stood in the doorway and looked to Loki, nodding over her shoulder.

“I will return shortly, Thor. Don’t use your lightning,” Loki said and stood from his chair. Thor merely grunted in reply, his eyes closed. Brunhilde entered, taking Loki’s spot in the chair beside Thor’s bed. Loki stepped out of the room, glancing briefly back to Thor. Brunhilde had her feet up on the bed, resting her head on her fist.

As he left the room, Loki glanced to the side and saw the young woman standing a short way down the hall. She was nervously playing with her fingers, leaning back against the wall. Her long wavy brown hair fell past her shoulders. She was wearing a plain black dress, matching boots, and a long red leather coat. A hint of red wisps danced around her fingers briefly.

“Lady Maximoff?” Loki called, drawing the young Sokovian woman’s attention. She offered him a soft smile and it struck Loki that for one so young, there was such a profound sadness to her. Sometimes it haunted her dark eyes or a hint would show in her grin. Before meeting her, Loki hadn’t thought one so young could understand such sadness.

“Just Wanda, please,” she requested as she straightened up. “Brunhilde said you and Thor needed my help, but didn’t explain much further. She said you would be better able to explain things.”

Loki couldn’t help but smirk. “She didn’t explain the whole situation but you came anyway?”

Wanda shrugged. “Thor was a member of the Avengers and he helped bring Vis to life.”

She paused and looked down at her feet, swallowing. Loki shifted his weight uneasily, unsure if he should attempt to offer some words of comfort. Vision was one of the few unfortunate fallen allies who didn’t come back. It had been decided that it was too dangerous to leave the mind stone whole. While they tried to figure out how to bring him back without use of the stone, none of the solutions worked. Brunhilde told Loki that the Wakandans and Avengers held a truly beautiful memorial service for him. However, Wanda had been inconsolable. The last Loki heard, she was staying with the Barton family on their farm. Whether that was a permanent living situation or not, the trickster wasn’t sure.

“I apologize again for not attending Vision’s memorial service. I know it’s not much, but I would like to offer you my sincere condolences for your loss,” Loki said gently. Wanda offered him another sad smile, tucking some brown hair behind her ear.

“Thank you. I do miss Vis, but I feel lucky to have known him,” she replied. “He was a good man and a hero. I loved him and I still do. A part of me always will.”

Loki cleared his throat uncomfortably. There was a small part of him that felt he might be part of the reason Thanos reached Midgard. He rationalized that the mad titan would have found his way to Midgard anyway. The infinity stones would have drawn Thanos’ attention eventually. Loki might have just helped speed that arrival up, albeit without realizing it. He could hardly be to blame for the whole unpleasant incident.

“Brunhilde said this was a time-sensitive situation,” Wanda mentioned. Loki nodded, grateful that she had changed the subject.

“Yes, I’m afraid it is,” he agreed. For the next few minutes, Loki explained everything that had happened. Wanda’s eyes occasionally widened and her mouth dropped open slightly. When Loki finished, she shifted her weight.

“I was told that you have some ability to draw out people’s memories,” Loki mentioned, crossing his arms over his chest. The young witch nodded, her brows knitting together.

“I can and I shall do my best, but I have no experience with Asgardian magic,” Wanda said, glancing over at him. “You are certain you cannot do this?”

Loki shook his head. “The walls in my brother’s mind were constructed to deflect my magic and bringing down these walls will probably require a more delicate touch.”

Wanda studied his face for a moment. Loki smirked a little as he watched her, wondering if she was able to see through his glamor. Could she see beneath the meticulously woven magic? The trickster would be incredibly impressed if that were the case.

“Where is Thor?” Wanda asked, drawing Loki back to the present. He offered her his most charming smile and swept an arm out to the side.

“Right this way,” he said, following behind the young witch as she made her way to the open door. As they entered, Thor looked up from the conversation he had been having with Brunhilde. His face lit up when he saw Wanda and Loki couldn’t help but smile at his brother’s happiness.

“Lady Wanda,” Thor greeted, his voice stronger than Loki would have expected. To his shock, Wanda laughed softly and she walked a little quicker, lowering herself to sit on Thor’s bed.

“Hello, Thor. I have missed you,” she said happily, putting her hand in his. Thor raised her hand to his lips, kissing the back of her knuckles. Loki almost rolled his eyes at how chivalrous his older brother was. With anyone else, the gesture likely would have come off as disingenuous and possibly even demeaning. But Thor somehow made the gesture kind and respectful. Brunhilde looked over at Loki and her subtle grin told him she was thinking a similar thing.

“It is good to see you again,” Thor said, leaning back a little. Wanda frowned as she looked at the hand she held. Loki had warned the young woman about how cold the god of thunder would feel, but it was probably still a shock, particularly because Thor was naturally warm. The trickster couldn’t remember a time that his brother ever felt cold and it was still unnerving.

“It is good to see you as well. Has your brother told you why I’m here?” Wanda asked and Thor nodded, looking to Loki when the trickster approached the bed.

“I thank you for your help,” he replied gratefully. Wanda smiled at him and glanced over to the Valkyrie, nodding politely to her as well.

“Brunhilde and I shall be right here,” Loki mentioned. “If anything goes wrong, we will be able to lend assistance.”

The Valkyrie looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. Loki met her gaze and gave a very subtle shake of his head. He spoke with more confidence than he felt, but he didn’t want Thor and Wanda to know that. It was better to let them feel that everything was under control.

Wanda licked her lips and looked back to Thor. Red started to swirl around her fingertips and her eyes began to glow faintly.

“Are you ready?” she asked. Thor nodded, offering her a reassuring smile, and she reached forward. Her fingertips hovered near his temples, the red increasing in intensity. After a moment, Wanda pressed her fingers to his head. At the foot of the bed, Loki leaned down and gripped the frame, watching intently. He saw Thor’s eyes flash red before he closed them. The trickster was fascinated by the witch’s magic and curious about the ways it differed from his own.

“Whatever you see, just remember it’s only a memory,” Wanda spoke gently and Brunhilde straightened up in her chair, leaning forward. “Nothing you see can hurt you. It’s all in the past.”

Thor remained silent but Loki noticed a tremor go through him. He was unsure if that was due to the unnatural cold afflicting his brother or a reaction to something he was seeing. A few minutes went by and no one said anything. Wanda gasped and pulled her hands away. Loki saw a tremor go through her left hand. The young woman turned her eyes to the trickster. They were still swirling with red and concern was clearly read in her expression.

“I’ve started taking apart the blocks in his mind,” she explained, glancing over at Thor who appeared to be in some kind of trance. “But there might be more dammed up than you anticipated and…he’s fighting me a bit, like he doesn’t wish to remember. There is a flood of memories that will be released if I completely tear down the magic holding them back. I worry how that will affect him.”

Brunhilde looked over at Loki, who straightened up. His eyes went back to his brother and he moved around the bed to sit opposite Wanda. The trickster didn’t often consider the negative consequences of his actions. He normally just did what would be the most fun or the solution that would be the easiest and had the highest chance of success. Of course doing that had almost cost Thor his life, and Loki’s own, during the War of the Gauntlet. The image of Thor bleeding to death in his arms flashed through Loki’s mind and the trickster inwardly shuddered.

Taking his brother’s hand within his own, Loki kept his eyes on Thor’s face. This wouldn’t be pleasant, but it was the only option that would offer them a chance to save his brother’s life.

“Do it,” Loki whispered firmly, his eyes remaining on the god of thunder. Wanda again placed her fingers on Thor’s temples. Loki was distantly aware of Brunhilde rising from her seat and moving around the bed to stand behind Wanda. This likely wouldn’t be pleasant for either of them. Hearing a whimper from his brother, Loki noticed Thor start to twist his head. The trickster gripped his brother’s hand a little tighter. _I’m here, brother._

There was a sudden burst of silver-white magic. Wanda let out a cry of pain and fell backwards at the same time that Thor’s eyes snapped open and he sat bolt upright, crashing into his brother and almost knocking Loki over. Loki instinctively went rigid, unused to unexpected physical contact. He could feel his brother shaking violently and knew it wasn’t entirely because of the cold. Thor was panting for breath and his fists balled in Loki’s clothing, dampness beginning to soak into the fabric on the trickster’s shoulder. Loki sat stiffly, unsure how to comfort Thor. Comforting wasn’t something that came naturally to the trickster, not like it did to Thor, but hearing his brother’s shuddering breaths and feeling the way he trembled, Loki decided to try.

Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around Thor, holding him tightly in an embrace. Loki’s brow furrowed and he swallowed, thinking over what to say.

“Shh, shh, you’re all right. It’s okay,” Loki whispered, raising one hand to cradle the back of his brother’s head. It was a gesture Thor had often used in their youth after Loki had a nightmare and sought his older brother’s protection. “Be calm, brother. I am here. You are all right. You are safe.”

Even through his clothing, Loki could feel Thor’s heart hammering and the machine keeping track of his heartrate was beeping loudly.

Glancing over to where Brunhilde was lifting Wanda into her arms, Loki nodded to the empty bed that was next to his brother. As the Valkyrie brought the dazed young woman over to the bed, Loki whispered a simple spell he hadn’t used in ages. Almost immediately, Thor slumped in his arms, the rigidity leaving his body, and Loki carefully guided him back to a laying position. Thor’s eye was closed and the heartrate machine was no longer beeping loudly.

After making sure that his brother was sleeping peacefully, Loki stood and made his way over to the bed Wanda laid on. Her face was twisted in pain and she held one hand over her eyes.

“Wanda, are you all right?” Loki asked.

“That has never happened before,” Wanda moaned. “I could feel his fear and anguish but something happened when I took down the mental barricades.”

“Sometimes Asgardian mages reinforce their spells with a failsafe. It tends to be rather unpleasant for the one who breaks through their magic,” Loki explained apologetically. “You might experience a headache for a few days.”

Brunhilde glared at him while Wanda lifted her hand slightly. Loki shrugged and spread his hands, unsure what they expected of him.

“You could have warned me about that,” Wanda grumbled.

“You’re an asshole, Lackey,” Brunhilde put in.

“Telling her wouldn’t have lessened the pain. If anything, it would have been worse because she would have been expecting it and it might have made her hesitate,” Loki protested.

“Norns,” Brunhilde ran a hand over her face, looking to Wanda. “This is why so many people try to kill him, you know.”

Wanda grinned weakly and carefully pushed herself up to her elbows. Loki moved closer, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Did you see Thor’s memories?”

Wanda swallowed. “Yes, but I—”

“Forgive me for this,” Loki apologized quickly before pressing his palm to her forehead. Thor’s memories flooded through him, hazy and infuriatingly vague. Loki clenched his eyes shut and sifted through them as quickly and thoroughly as he could, searching for anything useful. Wanda was already forgetting what little she had seen and her own grief was so strong it made it difficult to find his way through the memories that belonged to Thor. _Come on, come on,_ Loki thought.

And then he was standing in front of a towering figure, dressed in Asgardian clothing, which shifted from tattered to fine. Loki squinted as he tried to find any distinguishing features, but instead of a face, the person only had a swirl of gray mist.

“Shit,” Loki grumbled as he pulled his hand from Wanda’s brow.

“Dammit, Lackey!” Brunhilde yelled at him, shoving the trickster away from the young woman, who slumped back. “Could you maybe not do that to people?”

Loki massaged the back of his neck. “I couldn’t see the mage’s face. There were no distinguishable features, which means he probably had a concealment spell on himself. That means Thor didn’t see him either.”

“So, if we have a location, isn’t that enough?”

“Yes, but it’s the matter of _how_ we get there. Since I don’t know who we’re dealing with, teleporting is probably out of the question,” Loki mentioned. “Unless we want to alert him to our approach that is.”

A soft groan from Thor’s bed drew their attention to the god of thunder. He was starting to twist and writhe. Loki moved over to his side, sitting on the edge of the bed. Thor’s eyes snapped open and Loki smiled thinly at him. He winced when his brother latched onto his arms, his eye wide and fearful.

“Loki, you live! Thank the gods, you live!” Thor breathed as he sat up and yanked his brother into a tight hug. Loki frowned, unsure what his brother was speaking about.

“Yes, brother, I live. I feel we have recently had this conversation.”

“He’s back. I saw him. I-I-I heard you call for me. You were in such pain, so much pain. I cannot protect you. I cannot stop him, but I can stall him. He’s after you. You must run. Use your secret paths and hide,” Thor whispered. His soft voice was close to panicked, but also trembling with emotion. “Take Brunhilde with you and flee. I will hold him off for as long as I can.”

“Thor, slow down,” Loki soothed, pulling out of the hug and searching Thor’s eye. “Who are you speaking of? Who is back?”

Thor swallowed. “Thanos. The mad titan is back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't you glad this isn't Friday's chapter? ;)
> 
> I adore Wanda Maximoff. When I was outlining this story and realized I could fit her in, I was a little giddy. I was really intrigued by how she and Loki would interact, so I hope I did that justice.
> 
> Also, in case you were wondering, the reason why Loki didn't attend Vision's memorial service was because it took place when he was still in the midst of grieving his own loss. I couldn't find a place to fit in that tidbit.
> 
> I had written a bit of dialogue when Loki warns Thor not to use his lightning (good heavens, Thor, stop) that I wound up cutting due to it not being entirely in character. However, it still cracks me up because Loki was essentially saying, "If I'm the one who has to be responsible, we're all doomed." Loki has grown and matured as a character, but he's always going to be the god of mischief :-D
> 
> Reviews are greatly appreciated, as are kudos.
> 
> Next chapter is entitled "Remembered Illusions" and it will be up Friday. See all of you then!


	6. Remembered Illusions

For a moment, Loki thought he felt his own heart stop and an overwhelming sense of dread and fear started to creep into his mind. Then he remembered what they were dealing with and couldn’t prevent the laugh of relief that escaped him. He massaged his brow, briefly closing his eyes. The trickster opened his eyes again and offered Thor a faint smile.

“Your mind is deceiving you, brother,” Loki said, glancing over to Brunhilde and Wanda. They had both heard Thor’s declaration and looked alarmed. Red mist started to swirl around Wanda’s fingers and Brunhilde was gripping her sword tightly.

“I saw him, Loki. He held us prisoner for months.”

“Thor, if it had been the mad titan, do you think he would only target us? Would he only attack one world?” Loki pointed out, willing Thor to hear his words. “Believe me, if Thanos were still alive, we would be getting reports of slaughter across the galaxy.”

Thor frowned, his expression reflecting how unsure he felt. “But…I saw him.”

“You saw a glamor. A fairly impressive one, but a glamor none the less,” Loki explained. “You encountered a mage who used a combination of fear illusions and concealment spells to confuse you. It made your greatest fears manifest, but they were mere illusions.”

Thor studied Loki’s face, slumping back a little. “You are certain?”

Loki smiled confidently. “Always. I can check your memories the morning, after you’ve had a chance to rest. Removing mental blocks and walls is taxing on a healthy body. You are still ill.”

Thor lay back, glancing over to where Wanda was now sitting on her own bed. “Lady Wanda, are you okay?”

Wanda offered him a watery smile. “Yes, Thor. I am fine. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.”

Thor smiled sympathetically. “I apologize if that was unpleasant for you.”

“I don’t mind some discomfort if it means saving a friend,” Wanda replied. Thor turned his attention back to his brother, searching Loki’s face.

“The mad titan is truly gone?” Thor asked, doing his best to mask the nervousness he felt. Loki nodded and pulled the covers up a little more on his brother.

“Yes, Thor. I promise you, Thanos is truly gone. Now get some rest, please.”

Thor closed his eye, yawning. “If you’re mistaken—”

“I’m not.”

“But if you are,” Thor insisted, latching onto the trickster’s wrist. “You must flee. No matter what he does, you must survive, Loki. Do not get yourself killed, not again. Promise me.”

“Thor—”

“Promise me, brother.”

Loki put his hand over Thor’s, wincing at the chill he felt. “All right. For whatever it’s worth, I give you my word that if Thanos is somehow alive, I will run and survive. I promise you.”

“Thank you,” Thor whispered. Loki held onto his brother’s hand until he was sure Thor was asleep, and then turned his attention over to Brunhilde and Wanda.

“Wanda, I thank you for your help. You have most likely saved my brother’s life and you have the gratitude of New Asgard for it,” Loki spoke sincerely. Wanda frowned as she looked to the trickster.

“You will be careful, right?” she asked. “When you go after whoever did this to your brother?”

“Of course,” Loki half-lied. He didn’t really need to be careful. This mage was amateur compared to the trickster. His ability with magic was impressive, but the over the top complexity of the spells he was using spoke of insecurity. Loki could use that.

Wanda did not look reassured by his answer. “I know I’m relatively new to magic, but I fear you may be underestimating this person.”

“He frequently does,” Brunhilde agreed, earning a glare from Loki. She merely smiled and turned her attention back to Wanda. “Don’t worry, Lady Maximoff. I will be accompanying him wherever he goes on this journey. Someone needs to keep him out of trouble.”

That seemed to reassure Wanda and she grinned. “I can imagine.”

Loki rolled his eyes and looked back to his brother, feeling a pang of worry in his heart. Glancing to the machine keeping track of his temperature, the trickster noticed it had dropped a tenth of a degree lower. It was a small change, but a change nonetheless. They were working against the clock.

_*_

The next morning Brunhilde brought Wanda to the airport so she could catch a flight back home. Before leaving, Loki had offered to lessen her grief with a spell. He thought it was adequate payment for her help. To his great shock, Wanda turned down the offer.

“I will not remove any memories,” Loki promised. “I will merely mute the sadness and grief that you’re experiencing.”

“Loki, not all sadness is bad or a burden,” Wanda replied as she tucked some hair behind her ear. “Sometimes it helps remind us of the ones we’ve lost and how much we loved them.”

Loki wasn’t sure he understood, but respected her wishes. “Very well. But I would like to give you something for your help.”

Wanda looked over to where Thor still slept peacefully, a soft smile spreading across her face. “Helping a friend requires no payment. But, if you really wish to give me something, I’ll settle for a hug.”

Brunhilde snorted. “Lackey might not know how to do that.”

The trickster narrowed his eyes at the Valkyrie before turning back to the young witch, smiling in his usual charming way. “If that’s what you wish.”

Wanda grinned and embraced Loki, whispering, “I believe in you both. Everything will be okay. Be safe, Loki.”

Loki stood at the window, staring off into the distance where Brunhilde and Wanda had disappeared. The days would shorten soon and the weather wouldn’t be as nice. Had Thor not been sick, the god of thunder would likely be annoyingly optimistic and upbeat about the approaching winter. The trickster would probably be making sure they were stocked up on good wine and then busying himself with taking stock of more important supplies.

“Loki?”

Loki turned, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Good morning, Thor.”

Thor squinted against the light. “Where is Lady Wanda?”

“She just left,” Loki replied, approaching the chair next to Thor’s bed and sitting down. “Brunhilde is bringing her to the airport. I expect the Valkyrie will return later this afternoon.”

“Hmm,” Thor replied. Loki leaned back in his chair, smirking as he remembered Brunhilde’s grumbling about how far the nearest airport was and what a pain in the ass the drive would be. The Valkyrie missed the more useful and fun ships from Sakaar and Asgard.

“I thought I was back on the ship,” Thor mentioned, drawing Loki’s attention to him. “It felt so real. I had to watch you die again and I could do nothing to stop it. I had to watch our people be slaughtered by Thanos and the Black Order. No one was spared.”

Loki frowned and stood, sitting on the edge of Thor’s bed. “It’s all right, brother. It was just a mage using some cruel spells and illusions.”

Thor swallowed and closed his eyes again, his hand inching toward the trickster. Loki grasped it and gave a squeeze of reassurance. He felt a brief flare of anger toward the mage who had stirred up such unpleasant memories in his brother, and somehow made them worse.

“Thor, if we’re to help you, I need to look into your memories,” Loki said hesitantly. Thor opened his eye and studied his brother, skeptical.

“It’s going to be unpleasant, isn’t it?” he asked, sounding resigned.

“I’m afraid it might be,” Loki admitted. “I’ll be as fast and as careful as I can.”

Thor sighed and nodded his consent. Loki inched a little closer, laying his palm on his brother’s head and recalling the memories Wanda had released. He could feel Thor go rigid as he began to draw forth the traumatic images.

There was still a small blank spot between leaving Vanaheim and landing on Midgard. Weirdly, the only memory Loki could find was a shouted statement: _Loki is my brother!_

Deciding that wasn’t helpful, Loki traveled further into his brother’s memories, to the first clear memory Thor had after leaving Vanaheim.

The trickster found himself in a disturbingly realistic recreation of the destroyed ship of Asgardian refugees. Swallowing, he turned and felt terror claw up in his throat when he saw the Black Order holding an image of himself hostage. Whether he was feeling Thor’s fear or his own, Loki wasn’t entirely sure. The trickster frowned and approached them, waving a hand in front of the illusion of Loki. The form rippled, briefly revealing one of the Einherjar Thor had travelled with. _Oh, that’s how the mage did it,_ Loki thought.

Turning, Loki spotted Thanos holding his brother’s head in an iron grasp. Thor was flailing, his eye wide but glassy, fully under the mage’s spell. Studying the illusion of Thanos, towering over him like a giant, Loki noticed his face was obscured by a gray mist. He waved his hand over Thanos, but the glamor held firm. This mysterious mage had _some_ skill. Loki tilted his head a little, still nowhere near impressed.

Looking to the side, the trickster ignored the scene unfolding behind him. He tuned out the screaming and begging, the desperation and pain. Instead, Loki focused on the wall of the ship, which rippled and flickered.

“Show me your secrets,” Loki whispered to himself, ignoring Thor’s heart wrenching pleas and the sound of bone breaking followed by the sobs of a broken man. The wall rippled again, revealing immaculate white with shimmering ruins. With a wave of his hand, Loki made the wall vanish and looked out a window at the hazy setting that stretched before him. Thor might not have consciously realized what he was looking at, he might have been convinced he was back on that ship, but the god of thunder _had_ seen something.

Stepping through the window, Loki found himself in the center of a forest, surrounded by trees. Turning around, he looked for anything that would give him an idea of where he was. Noticing a clearing in the distance, Loki squinted. When he realized what it was and that he had seen it before, a large grin started to spread across his face. It was the open field where Sif had found scorch marks, just a few feet away.

“Oh, that was very sloppy, mage. Very sloppy indeed,” Loki laughed to himself. “I know _exactly_ where you are.”

The trickster left his brother’s memories and blinked a couple times to clear his mind of the lingering unease Thor felt. Glancing over to the god of thunder, Loki noticed that his eye was wet with tears and he was shaking again.

“There, all done,” Loki said confidently with a small grin. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Thor stared at him in disbelief, brushing away a few stray tears. “How…how can such horrors not bother you?”

Loki looked over to the window, unable to meet his brother’s gaze for a moment. “It’s not that such images and memories don’t bother me necessarily, it’s just…I know they’re merely illusions and therefore they cannot hurt me. I’ve survived worse, Thor. Such memories are mere shades, unpleasant but ultimately harmless.”

Thor studied him for a moment and the sympathy in his expression made Loki’s insides clench up. “Sometimes I worry about you, Loki. I worry about the experiences that haunt you.”

Loki shook his head, offering Thor a faint grin. “Do not concern yourself with that, brother. We have more pressing matters to deal with at present. I know where the mage is located. Brunhilde and I shall go and retrieve the elixir from him. Do you think—?”

“I’m going with you,” Thor immediately declared.

“Absolutely not,” Loki replied just as quickly. He looked pointedly at the machine that monitored Thor’s temperature. Thor ignored him and stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest.

“I will not let you go into battle on your own, Loki,” Thor stated firmly. Loki gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, frustration flaring up in him.

“I can take care of myself, Thor. I’m not a child. And I will not be alone. The Valkyrie will be with me and the two of us have more than enough experience in battle to deal with one mage. You cannot leave. These machines are all that’s keeping your temperature stabilized,” the trickster pointed out, trying not to sound annoyed.

“I’m sure Banner will be able to cobble something together,” Thor argued. “Remember what you said when you found me on the battlefield after Thanos was defeated? You swore you would never leave again.”

“I was speaking about not faking my death again and you know it,” Loki replied defensively. “I’m not _leaving_ you, Thor. I’m merely going to handle a problem that I’m the most qualified to deal with. This is a mage, brother. I can deal with a mage.”

“I do not doubt your ability, Loki,” Thor explained gently, realizing he was dangerously close to hurting his brother’s pride and that would get him nowhere. “I know this is something you excel at. For my own peace of mind, please allow me to go with you and Brunhilde.”

“No.”

Thor swallowed his aggravation, an idea forming in his mind. “Would it not be wise for me to take the elixir sooner rather than later? Is this not a time sensitive situation?”

Loki’s eyes practically bulged out of his skull, his mouth dropping open in disbelief. Thor beamed triumphantly and leaned back in his bed. He did enjoy the rare occasions when he won an argument with his younger brother. Fury flashed across the trickster’s face and he clenched his fists again.

“Gods, I know if I refuse you’ll find some way to follow us,” Loki grumbled. “I really hate you sometimes, Thor.”

“I know,” Thor replied with a small grin. Loki ran a hand over his face, exasperation read in every line of his body. He enjoyed chaos, but only when he was the one behind it.

“If I agree,” Loki began. “You will not participate in any fighting. You will allow Brunhilde and me to handle this. You will wait in the car and try not to die.”

“The car?”

“Oh yes. I will not use the secret ways on Midgard when the situation involves another mage. Chances are high that he also knows of them and it would be much too easy to ambush us,” Loki explained. Thor stared at him, not believing his brother was willingly admitting to that. His brother was confident, sometimes to the point of arrogance, and Thor sometimes forgot that Loki was also talented at coming up with strategies, a skilled tactician. When he wanted to be.

“Do you agree, brother?” Loki asked, drawing Thor’s attention back to him. The god of thunder smiled fondly and nodded. The trickster sighed and shook his head.

“Norns, you’ll be the death of me yet, Thor,” he grumbled sourly.

“Something I’ve said about you many, _many_ a time,” Thor pointed out and Loki couldn’t help but snicker at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, that's not really a cliffhanger, per say... :)
> 
> Next chapter = Road trip! It sounds like the set-up to a joke: a Valkyrie, the god of thunder, and the god of mischief & lies embark on a road trip (no idea why that makes me giggle. Maybe because of the visual I'm picturing, which...well, you'll understand when you read chapter seven).
> 
> Wow, there's only two more weeks of this fic left (chapter 7 - 9 will go up next week and then 10 and 11 will go up the week after). Chapters 8 and 9 are probably the most intense chapters in this fic.
> 
> As always, reviews and kudos are most welcome and appreciated. I love responding to reviews :)
> 
> Next chapter is entitled "Following the Scent" (not my most creative title. That, folks, is an "Eh f-ck it" title :-p) and it will be up Monday afternoon.
> 
> Have a good weekend, everyone!


	7. Following the Scent

Banner didn’t like Thor’s plan and was quite vocal about the many reasons why it was a terrible idea. Thor listened to his concerns, but still insisted on accompanying Loki and Brunhilde to the place where he had been held prisoner.

“You can come with us, Banner,” Thor mentioned cheerfully, ignoring Loki’s scowl. The doctor ran his hands over his face, obviously exasperated. Banner looked over at Brunhilde and Loki, who were waiting for the god of thunder. Brunhilde shrugged while Loki pressed his lips together in a thin line. He stood stiffly with his hands in the pockets of his jacket, watching as a nurse removed the various wires and lines that were connected to his brother. He adjusted the sleeve on the dark suit he wore, doing his best not to fidget. _This is an absolutely terrible idea. Dammit, Thor,_ the trickster thought.

“Unfortunately, I’m needed here,” Banner responded. “But I want to see you the minute you get back, even if you’re healed. And remember, Thor, don’t use your lightning. Not even a spark.”

“I understand. Worry not, Banner,” Thor said happily, tightly gripping the doctor’s shoulder. “Loki and I have faced greater dangers together and we always emerge victorious.”

Banner’s eyes reflected concern. “Thor, please be careful. You’re still losing heat. If you lose too much, you could go into organ failure.”

The doctor turned to Loki and Brunhilde. “You need to keep an eye on his temperature. Check it regularly. If it gets too low, get him to an emergency room right away and then get ahold of me.”

Loki only half-listened to Banner’s recommendations and instructions, figuring Brunhilde would be able to remember all he was saying. He glanced to the side at the mound of battery-operated heating blankets that Tony Stark had upgraded. They were warmer than most blankets and the batteries lasted longer. It would be enough for a couple days of travel, but they would still have to closely monitor the god of thunder’s temperature.

The trickster didn’t like this. He would have preferred going on his own or with just the Valkyrie. Bringing his sick brother along was just asking for trouble. Loki thought back to what he had seen in his brother’s memories. The overwhelming terror Thor had felt when confronted with the nightmarish images, the agony of having to watch his brother die again. The thought of what the mage had done to Thor made Loki even more determined to find the man and express his…displeasure at how his brother had been treated.

“Come on, Lackey,” Brunhilde said, bringing Loki’s attention back to her. “Let’s get these blankets in the car, give your brother a chance to get dressed before we leave.”

Loki nodded and grabbed a few blankets. Brunhilde rolled her eyes as she grabbed the armful that remained and led the trickster out of the room. They were silent in the elevator and quietly made their way out to where the car was parked.

“Gods grant me patience,” Loki muttered under his breath when he saw Sif standing near the car. He had no intention of letting her tag along. The last thing he needed was to worry about getting stabbed while facing off against another mage, even an amateur one.

“If you’re here to ask if you can accompany us, the answer is no,” Loki said firmly to Sif as Brunhilde unlocked the car and tossed the blankets into the backseat. “Thor and I need you to remain here and protect New Asgard.”

“I wouldn’t travel anywhere with you,” Sif replied coldly. Her eyes seemed to soften and she glanced down the street before looking back to Loki. “You will be leaving soon?”

“As soon as my brother comes,” Loki affirmed with a nod. “Worry not, Sif. We’ll be back in a day or two, depending on if we need to make any stops on the way there or back. If you’re worried about the duties of leadership, I’m sure Korg and Heimdall will be more than happy to help you.”

“Are you ever not an ass?” Sif growled and Loki shrugged, resting his shoulder on the wall she was leaning against.

“If you’re not here to demand a spot on this journey, then why are you here? Simply to see Thor off?”

Sif shrugged. “He’s my friend, a concept that I know you’re entirely unfamiliar with.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, suppressing the smirk that wanted to dance across his face. A gentle breeze brushed through their hair, wrapping around them. Loki could smell the approaching cold in the air. Winter would arrive in a few short months. He hated to think how that would affect Thor in his current state.

For a few moments, they both watched the door. Eventually, Thor exited the building, dressed in plainclothes, and smiled brightly when he saw them. Sif gave a gentle smile and a wave.

“You’re looking better,” she said as Thor arrived.

“I’m feeling somewhat better,” Thor replied and Loki arched an eyebrow at the obvious lie. He could already see the small tremors wracking Thor’s frame. The trickster looked to the backseat of the car, where Brunhilde had wisely arranged the heating blankets for Thor.

“Be careful, Thor,” Sif warned. “We wouldn’t want to be stuck with Loki as the sole leader of New Asgard.”

Loki bit the inside of his cheek, holding his tongue for the moment. He was reminded of why he had never really gotten along with Sif. Thor often accused him of holding grudges, but Loki’s ability to do so paled in comparison to Sif’s.

“Sif, my brother has proven himself to be a capable leader in the recent past. Were anything to happen to me, I know New Asgard would still flourish under his leadership.”

“As much as I enjoy flattery,” Loki interjected, gesturing to the car. “You need to keep your temperature up, so get under the blankets.”

Thor laughed, but did as Loki asked, much to the trickster’s relief. Loki closed the door and was about to climb into the passenger’s seat when Sif grabbed his arm and pulled him a few steps away from the car. Loki instinctively tensed up at being touched without consent, but allowed the warrior woman to lead him a few steps away. The sooner he appeased her, the sooner they could leave.

“Loki, if you have _any_ honor left, you will protect Thor,” Sif said, casting a concerned glance toward the god of thunder. “You will fix this.”

Loki clenched his jaw, doing his best to suppress his irritation. “If you remember, it was _I_ who fought at Thor’s side during the War of the Gauntlet. I fought against Thanos and his Black Order to protect Thor and Asgard. Some young mage is child’s play compared to them.”

Sif looked back to him, unconvinced. “Be careful, Loki. When you’re overconfident, that’s generally when things start going wrong.”

“Yes, but on the rare occasions that happens, it normally blows back on me,” Loki pointed out and Sif gritted her teeth, fury flashing across her blue eyes.

“That’s part of what concerns me. Thor would never forgive himself if something happened to you. Whether or not he was at fault. Brunhilde told me all about the War of the Gauntlet, how Thor fell fighting the mad titan. He thought he failed to protect you and it nearly destroyed him. He gave his life to avenge you.”

Loki ran a hand over his face. “Sif, I don’t know what you want from me. I can only assure you that I know what I’m doing and we’ll have Brunhilde with us. Rest assured, if I am being too arrogant, she will definitely let me know.”

The trickster glanced over his shoulder to where Thor was in the backseat of the car. He once again resolved to not let anything happen to his brother. No matter what he had to do, how much he had to scheme, Thor would survive this.

“I will not let anything further happen to Thor,” Loki swore. He wasn’t sure whether he was speaking to Sif or himself, but he meant those words. To his surprise, Sif released his arm and stepped back.

“Make sure you both come home,” she muttered. “Thor believes New Asgard needs both of you and I trust my friend’s judgement.”

Loki bowed his head to her. “Keep her safe in our absence, Sif. My mind is at ease knowing our home is being left in capable hands.”

“Norns, you are still completely full of shit,” Sif muttered as she shook her head and walked away. Loki couldn’t help but grin at the irritation in her voice. Sif was infuriating, but it certainly was fun to tease her. When she wasn’t determined to liberate his head from his body.

Walking back to the car, Loki opened the passenger side door and sank into his seat. The Valkyrie was already sitting in the driver’s side and Thor was bundled up in the backseat.

“All right, boys, ready to go on a quest?” Brunhilde asked.

“I still say that I should sit in the front seat,” Thor mumbled from the back. “I’m the older brother.”

“You’re also currently the sicker brother,” Loki argued as he picked up the map Brunhilde had placed between the seats. “You need to lay in the backseat and get some rest.”

“I’ve rested plenty,” Thor said, sounding sullen. “I wish to see the view.”

“Thor, you stay in the back and get some sleep. Loki, if I catch you antagonizing your brother, I will punch you so hard your ancestors will feel it,” Brunhilde stated firmly. “The one with the license gets to make the rules and I say we’re ready to go.”

Ignoring the quiet grumbling, the Valkyrie pulled away from the curb and set off down the road.

_*_

Their destination was a little more than a day’s drive. Less than an hour into the drive, Brunhilde was already contemplating murder. Loki was loudly eating a large red apple and she knew, she _knew_ , he was doing it just to annoy her. Thor was asleep in the backseat. The car was miserably hot since Brunhilde was blasting the heat in order to keep Thor’s temperature steady.

She cringed when Loki took another large bite, turning to glare at him. “I’m going to kick the shit out of you, Lackey.”

“Brunhilde, I’m a Jotun. We’re not built for heat,” Loki protested. He noisily bit into the apple again and Brunhilde gripped the steering wheel in a white-knuckle grip, clenching her teeth. Suddenly, a hand reached out from the backseat, yanking the fruit out of Loki’s hand.

“Hey!”

“Stop,” Thor said simply, putting the half-eaten apple in one of the cup holders in the back before nestling under the covers again. Loki huffed and sat back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. _Oh great. Now he’s going to pout. I’m going to have to deal with sulking Loki,_ Brunhilde thought. The longer she knew the Odinsons, the more respect the Valkyrie had for the late Queen Frigga.

A loud slurping sound made her eyes widen and she looked over at Loki again, who was now holding a large drink with a straw. Noticing her looking at him, he smirked and continued slurping his drink.

“How did—?” Brunhilde began but then stopped and shook her head. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.”

“You’re the worst, brother,” Thor grumbled in the backseat. Loki grinned, looking like the cat who caught the canary. He turned his gaze out the window, enjoying the beautiful sunny day outside. Even though he was miserable in the heat, he was finding ways to entertain himself.

“Brunhilde, I believe this ride needs a little entertainment. How about some music?” the trickster asked and Brunhilde instantly drew the dagger she had in a scabbard on her hip, pointing it at Loki.

“You touch the radio dial and I will end you,” the Valkyrie warned. Loki shrugged and sat back in his seat.

“Brother, what is your plan?” Thor asked and Brunhilde glanced over her shoulder. Loki stroked his upper lip as he looked out the window.

“I haven’t got a solid plan at the moment. Once we arrive, I’ll have a better idea of what we’re up against and what the most effective strategy will be.”

Loki frowned and twisted in his seat, squinting as he looked toward the back of the car. _Three…two…one,_ Brunhilde counted down. She had a feeling he would notice that eventually.

“Why is Stormbreaker in the back of the car?” Loki asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

“Because I needed a weapon, just in case,” Thor replied.

“In case of what? In case you decided to kill yourself even quicker?” Loki demanded. “Thor, that axe channels your lightning. It could possibly kill you even faster than—”

“How did you even see it? I thought Brunhilde did an exceptional job concealing it.”

Loki huffed. “The damn thing has magic in it, enough for me to sense it. I don’t _need_ to see it. I can feel it from up here.” He twisted to look at her. “Why are you encouraging him? Do you want him to die?”

“I’m not encouraging anyone,” Brunhilde protested, glaring right back at him. “Your brother needs a weapon in case this mage somehow gets past us. I’d prefer he have some way to defend himself.”

Loki turned back around in his seat, muttering something under his breath and rubbing his forehead. He looked vexed and Brunhilde was certain the brothers were about to be at each other’s throats. Loki started slurping his drink again and she could see Thor’s annoyed expression in the rearview mirror.

“Since you two will be having most of the fun,” Thor started, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself. “Brunhilde, I feel I should teach you Get Help.”

Loki’s eyes widened and he gagged violently on his drink. He twisted around again. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Get what?” Brunhilde asked.

“No,” Loki said to her, twisting and pointing at Thor. “No. Absolutely not. It’s bad enough that you do it. I’m not having another person throw me around at enemies.”

“You love it.”

“I hate it.”

Thor laughed softly and sat back, looking out the window again. “It works every time.”

“It’s humiliating and I refuse to do it,” Loki stated with finality.

He shook his head at Brunhilde’s questioning look. She remembered Loki saying something about not doing Get Help when they were facing off against Hela, but she had been too distracted by the battle to really think about it.

The sun set and Thor fell asleep again. Loki remained awake, a look of focus on his face. Brunhilde would glance over at him every now and again, checking to make sure he was still there. Thor had told her that his brother could be a bit of an escape artist. That combined with his tendency to make terrible decisions concerned Brunhilde. She could just picture a scenario where the trickster ran off to fight this faceless mage on his own.

“We should check his temperature,” Loki mentioned softly. Brunhilde nodded and carefully pulled the car over to the side of the road.

“There’s a thermometer in the glove box,” she said as she shifted into park. Loki retrieved the thermometer and opened the door on his side, rising out of the car. Brunhilde also got out of the car, taking the opportunity to stretch her limbs. She opened the door to the backseat, smiling at the sight of Thor sleeping peacefully under a mountain of blankets.

Loki approached from the back of the car, crouching down and running a hand through Thor’s short hair. Thor scrunched his nose up but didn’t open his eyes.

“Thor, wake up,” Loki called to his brother, gently shaking his shoulder. “We need to check your temperature and then you can go back to sleep.”

Thor’s eyes fluttered and opened, his brows knitting together. “Have we arrived?”

Loki shook his head. “No, we have a couple hours yet. We just need to make sure your temperature is stable.”

Thor coughed and sat up, taking the thermometer from Loki. He put it in his mouth and Loki leaned against the car, waiting. The thermometer beeped and Thor handed it to Loki, leaning back and closing his eyes. Loki looked at the small screen, making an “hmm” sound. Brunhilde approached and the trickster glanced at her.

“It’s another degree cooler,” he reported. Brunhilde put her hands on her hips, glancing over at the shivering god in the backseat.

“We’ll be there by morning,” Brunhilde said and Loki glanced off into the night. They couldn’t reach the place soon enough in his opinion.

“Brother, may I speak with you?” Thor’s soft voice drew their attention back to him. Loki nodded and Brunhilde went to stand near the front of the car, giving them some privacy.

The trickster approached the open door and crouched down so that he was balanced mostly on the balls of his feet. “What is it, Thor?”

Thor smiled as he looked at his brother. “I know you’re excited about facing a mage—”

“I merely want this to be over, brother,” Loki replied with a shake of his head. Thor gave him a skeptical look.

“Loki, you’ve been fidgeting all day. You are looking forward to using your abilities in battle again,” Thor said, looking down and swallowing. “Brother, I want you to promise me that you’ll exercise caution. Please do not underestimate this man.”

Loki scoffed. “You recommending I exercise caution. This is truly a historic day.”

“I just do not want to lose you. Not again,” Thor spoke softly. Loki was quiet for a moment, studying his brother. The trickster reached out and put his hand over his brother’s.

“And I do not wish to lose _you_. If we do not retrieve this elixir, you will die, Thor,” Loki reminded him. “You will not lose me. I know what I’m doing. By this time tomorrow, we will be headed home and you will be well again.”

Thor reached out and gently gripped the back of his brother’s neck, smiling. “I know, Loki.”

Loki grinned confidently, though his heart was gripped with worry. He could feel how cold his brother’s hand was. They were running out of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cracked myself up while outlining this fic and writing, "An hour into the drive, Brunhilde is already contemplating murder." Thor is so used to Loki's shenanigans that he's not even fazed. Also, the visual of Thor under a mound of blankets is unreasonably adorable to me.
> 
> Chapters eight and nine are the most intense chapters in this fic (so warning for violence). But you get to see super badass Loki. I'm not good at writing fight scenes, but I'm pretty satisfied with how the main one in this fic came out.
> 
> As always, reviews and kudos are most welcomed and appreciated :)
> 
> The next chapter is entitled "The Hidden House"
> 
> See all of you Wednesday.


	8. The Hidden House

“Stop!”

Brunhilde stepped on the break when Loki shouted. “What?”

Loki pointed out the window. “We’re here.”

Brunhilde frowned and leaned closer to Loki, squinting as she looked out the window. She could see a peculiar shimmering among the trees on the hill, but couldn’t make out anything clearly. In the back, Thor leaned over to the window, also studying where Loki was indicating.

“Something about this place…it’s familiar,” Thor murmured, squinting. “I do not see anything. I don’t think…?”

“The house is covered in cloaking spells and charms. You’re probably seeing some shimmering or flashing,” Loki explained, a wolfish grin spreading across his face as he continued looking out the window. “Brunhilde, I do not think you’ll be able to see it until you’re standing on or in it.”

Brunhilde looked at the trickster, noticing his eagerness. “Take it easy, Lackey. Let’s be smart about this.”

“Don’t worry, Valkyrie. I know _exactly_ what needs to be done,” Loki said, reaching for the handle. “Thor, stay in the car. This won’t take long.”

“Loki, wait,” Thor protested, climbing out of the car. Brunhilde also got out and walked around the front of the car. Almost immediately, she spotted a path that she hadn’t noticed when they first approached. Moving around to the back of the car, she opened the back door and pulled out her armor and sword as well as a few knives.

“Brother, hold on,” Thor said, reaching out and grabbing Loki’s wrist. The trickster turned to him, his expressive green eyes gleaming with excitement. It made Thor nervous. Loki’s eagerness could sometimes lead him to act rashly. When he acted rashly, he frequently got into trouble. Thor knew his brother was smart and quick, but he also knew Loki had the tendency toward over confidence.

“Thor, get back in the car,” Loki said, glancing toward the strange shimmering up the hill.

“Wait for Brunhilde,” Thor stated firmly, looking over his shoulder to where he could hear the Valkyrie changing into her armor. He shifted uncomfortably. “My memories are still very hazy, but…I remember rage. Rage directed at both of us. This might be a trap.”

“Oh, I hope it is,” Loki replied, grinning eagerly. His attention remained fixed on the shimmering among the trees.

“Hey, look at me,” Thor said, placing a hand on the side of Loki’s neck and drawing the trickster’s attention back to him. “Don’t be impulsive, Loki. Slow down.”

“Thor, you’re dying. We don’t have time to slow down,” Loki protested. “I will not allow this charlatan to steal your life.”

“And I will not allow you to sacrifice your own for mine,” Thor snapped, dropping his hand and grabbing Loki’s other arm. His brother was infuriating, never more so than when he assumed he could outsmart everyone. Loki could outsmart many, but his assumptions had led to disastrous results in the past. The memory of Thanos came unbidden to the god of thunder’s mind and he shuddered.

Loki scoffed and pulled away from Thor’s grasp. “I have no plans to die, Thor. We do not have time for this. You’re getting worse by the minute. Go back in the car and get under the blankets. Stay warm.”

“Loki, listen to me. This mage means to hurt you and you need to be on your guard. I fear he’s more powerful than you think. I do not wish to lose you again.”

The trickster studied his brother for moment. Then, he reached out and grasped Thor’s shoulder, his usual mischievous smile dancing across his face. “Brother, have you so little faith in me? I am fully aware of the risk, but rest assured, I also know how to counter it. He’s using an ancient magic, one that went out of practice long ago. There are holes and cracks in it. I excel at exploiting such weaknesses.”

Thor swallowed and nodded, reaching out swiftly and pulling his brother into a tight embrace. The god of thunder buried his nose in Loki’s dark hair and tried to convince himself that everything would be fine. He wasn’t going to lose his brother again. Thor could feel Loki’s arms wrap around him, hugging him back. The gesture was a promise: _I’ll be right back, brother. Do not worry. I won’t leave you, not again._

After a moment, Loki let go and moved away. Thor looked over to Brunhilde when she approached. He watched as Loki moved over to the path leading up to the house they couldn’t see, practically bouncing on his heels. The Valkyrie stopped next to Thor, sliding her sword into its scabbard. She also had a couple knives on her person. Her armor shimmered in the sunlight and she looked like a vision of the Valkyries of old.

“Please look out for my brother, Brunhilde,” Thor whispered to her. “Make sure no harm comes to him.”

“You have my word. No one will harm Loki,” Brunhilde promised, pausing as she tilted her head from side to side with a half-smile. “Well, no one other than me.”

Thor laughed softly, his eyes still on Loki. She could read the concern in his expression, the unspoken fear, but she could also see that he was starting to shiver again.

“Hey, big guy,” she said, putting a hand on his arm. “Why don’t you go back in the car, yeah? We’ll be back before you know it. Just try to get some sleep. I’ll get you if there’s trouble.”

Thor swallowed and nodded, turning back to the car. Brunhilde watched as he climbed back under the blankets, unease creeping into her mind. She turned her attention back to Loki, who was standing on the path leading up to the strange shimmering. _Norns, he’s going to be a handful,_ she thought.

“Brunhilde, come. Let’s go before he becomes aware of us,” Loki hissed at her. She shook her head and moved over to the trickster. If they had more time, Brunhilde would have gathered some capable fighters. Battling mages was a headache that she had never enjoyed during her time as a Valkyrie. They fought dirty and frequently had a number of tricks up their sleeves. Like all Valkyrie, Brunhilde had studied the history of Asgardian wars. She knew a little about the magic Loki described and knew it wasn’t something to take lightly.

“Take it easy, Lackey,” Brunhilde warned, resting her hand on the hilt of her sword. Loki glanced at her and started up the path. She kept pace with him, her unease growing the further they continued on.

The house didn’t manifest until they were practically on top of it. Brunhilde jolted in surprise when she nearly collided with a towering white wall. Glancing over at Loki, Brunhilde almost rolled her eyes when she saw how excited he was. He held his hand just over the wall, nearly touching it but not quite.

“This is somewhat impressive,” Loki whispered, his eyes roaming up and down the surface. “The charms were carefully cast. Whoever did this put some effort into it.”

“Is he here?” Brunhilde whispered and Loki shrugged.

“I assume so, but I cannot say for sure,” he replied. “Give me your hand.”

Brunhilde scrunched up her nose but put her hand in Loki’s. The trickster tightly gripped her hand and then put his other palm flat against the wall. Brunhilde felt a rush go through her. She felt herself yanked inside the dwelling. It was so violent and sudden that she stumbled and fell to one knee.

“Dammit, Loki,” she snapped. “Give me a warning before…”

She trailed off as she took in the scene around them. The smell of blood and metal, the twisted bodies of dead Asgardian refugees surrounding them, and the ominous creak of metal threatening to break. It suddenly became hard to breathe and the Valkyrie had trouble keeping her balance. Glancing over at Loki, Brunhilde noticed his eyes were practically bulging from his head. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple and Brunhilde felt a tremor go through the hand she still held.

“It’s just an illusion,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “Nothing more. Be on your guard.”

He released Brunhilde’s hand and she followed him as he hesitantly stepped deeper into the ship. A scream of pain echoed throughout the space and Loki froze, briefly closing his eyes. After a moment, he continued forward with Brunhilde on his heels. Loki dropped the glamor on his clothes, leaving him in green and black fighting leathers.

“This is impressive,” he called out and Brunhilde remained alert for any movement. “But ultimately amateur. Would you at least do me the courtesy of speaking face-to-face instead of playing these childish games?”

“What in the seven hells do you think you’re doing?” Brunhilde snapped, facing the other way so she could see any approaching threat.

“If this is a trap, we’re already in it,” Loki replied with a shrug. “Might as well spring it. Besides, it never hurts to try the easy way.”

Brunhilde shook her head, keeping a sharp eye out for anything out of the ordinary. It was disturbingly quiet except for a spark of electricity from severed wires.

“We should look for the elixir,” Brunhilde suggested. “I assume you know what it looks—”

“Little trickster.”

They turned a split second too late. The giant purple titan manifested right beside them and one enormous fist slammed into Loki, sending him sailing across the cramped space. He crashed against a wall and fell to the floor. Brunhilde went to run to his aid when another solid wall formed in front of her, blocking her from helping the fallen prince. She turned and was face-to-face with Hela.

“This doesn’t concern you,” the daughter of Odin hissed as she lifted the Valkyrie by her throat and threw her to the side.

Brunhilde crashed through glass and rolled across the ground, feeling soft grass beneath her hands. She coughed as she caught her breath, turning onto her side to look back at the house.

“Shit!” she yelled as she got back to her feet and ran to the dwelling, slamming her palm on the bricks. Nothing happened.

“No, come on!” she snapped, frustrated as she slapped the wall again. Still she remained outside. Quickly running around the house, the Valkyrie searched for any opening that would allow her entrance. She found none.

Brunhilde ran her fingers through her hair, trying to figure out how to get inside. She stiffened when she heard a muffled shout from somewhere inside the house.

_*_

“Damn,” Loki gasped as he put a hand to his aching chest, putting his other hand on the ground to steady himself. The mage wasn’t the titan, but he certainly knew how to hit. There was a sound like breaking glass and Loki rolled his eyes. At least Brunhilde had gotten outside. Using the wall, he pushed himself up to his feet right as the wall illusion that blocked him from the Valkyrie vanished. Loki smirked when he saw a glamor of the mad titan standing just behind it.

“You have greatly overestimated your abilities. You think I fear Thanos, but you’re very wrong,” Loki said, slashing his arms down and manifesting his fighting daggers in his hands. “I welcome the opportunity to kill him.”

“Yes, I know how much you enjoy death and destruction,” the titan spoke in a voice that wasn’t anything like Thanos’. Loki frowned, a little surprised by how composed the mage was. The trickster had expected a brash and reckless youth. But the voice was calm and measured. This was someone, an Asgardian judging from the accent, with experience.

“I beg your pardon.”

“Loki Laufeyson, the great destroyer, puppet of Thanos, bringer of Ragnarok,” the titan continued and the glamor rippled. It slowly receded, giving Loki a glimpse at the mage’s true form. He had pale blond hair that was so light it was almost white. It was cut incredibly short on the sides, similar to Thor’s but neater. He had dark beady eyes and pale skin, paler than Loki’s. Power rippled around him and a sense of experience could be read in the easy way he moved.

“Who are you?” Loki asked.

The man laughed softly, stepping confidently into the space. “My name is Halvard. I was a healer in Asgard who was also studying magic. I come from a long line of mages, you see. I had a wife and a few children, including a grown son. He fell defending Asgard in Hela’s first attack.”

Loki swallowed, keeping his eyes on the man. He heard more than saw the man unsheathe a blade and kept his grip firm on his own weapons. The two men started to circle each other.

“Most of the rest of my family, the ones not slaughtered by Hela, died in Ragnarok,” Halvard continued, almost disinterested. “And then Thanos attacked the refugee ship.”

He pointed a dagger at Loki’s face. “Looking for you, I believe. He massacred all of us, looking specifically for you.”

“He was after the tesseract,” Loki snapped defensively.

“Which _you_ had taken from Odin’s vault,” Halvard replied and Loki rolled his eyes. “What little remained of my family managed to escape through the tesseract and we wound up here.”

“I assume you were among the missing Asgardians,” Loki mentioned, slowly moving around the room to keep space between him and the mage.

Halvard nodded. “The rest of them died a few years ago, during an outbreak of a plague.”

“You could have come to New Asgard.”

Halvard laughed, a cold cruel sound. “Where you, the destroyer of lives, dwelled. I think not. I’ve lived many, many years and never have I met one who caused so much death and destruction wherever he went.”

“I assume you didn’t make Thanos’ acquaintance than,” Loki replied smartly, keeping as much distance between them as he could.

Their surroundings rippled and suddenly, Loki found himself in Frigga’s quarters at the palace. Even though he knew it was an illusion, he could feel the mage claw his way into the trickster’s mind, convincing him that reality had changed. Frigga’s quarters were disturbingly real, even smelling faintly of the subtle floral scent of the palace. Fear flooded Loki’s mind, even as he tried to remember it was all illusions. A sharp gasp of pain drew his attention behind him and he let out a cry at what he saw.

Frigga was being held by Kurse, her eyes fluttering closed as he pulled the sharp sword from her back, blood dripping from the blade. The monster dropped her as though she were nothing but a broken toy and she slumped to the ground. Loki ran over to her, tears streaming from his eyes as he fell to his knees beside her body, watching as she drew her last breath. Blood pooled around her, soaking his knees. He reached out to her, running a hand over her cheek. She felt so cold.

“Mother,” he whispered brokenly, dropping his brow to hers, tears streaming down his face. “Mother, forgive me. Please forgive me.”

The sound of a dagger slicing through the air made him instinctively twist away. He winced when a sharp blade cut his upper arm and kicked out, catching the mage in the knee and knocking him down briefly. Loki took the opportunity to jump up to his feet, holding his daggers at the ready. The scene rippled again, changing back to the ship of Asgardian refugees.

Hearing a cry, Loki twisted around to see Thanos holding his brother by the throat. Thor was clawing at the titan’s arm and terror spread throughout Loki’s consciousness when he saw Thanos withdraw a large blade from behind his back. Loki found himself in a state of panic once again. The titan was going to make him watch his brother die. Thanos was going to kill Thor.

“Your scheming has claimed so many lives, including the line of Odin. Frigga, Odin, and now Thor,” the titan growled. With a simple swift move, the titan impaled the god of thunder on the large blade. Thor gasped sharply, his eyes widening and filling with tears.

“No!” Loki shouted, trying to break free from whatever damn spell held him in place. He had to help his brother. He had to help Thor!

The titan grinned as he withdrew the blade and threw the god to the ground. Loki watched in horror as Thor fell limply to the floor. His open eyes stared at the trickster, an expression of pain frozen on his features. Loki’s heart hammered and he tried to make himself move. He had to fight, but he couldn’t move.

“You see, Laufeyson. All you do is bring death,” a voice echoed from somewhere in the ship. “I tried to make Thor see that, see reason. But the damn fool wouldn’t listen. He kept claiming you as his brother, carrying on the lie Odin told that doomed us all.”

A large fist wrapped around Loki’s throat, forcing him to the ground. The trickster cringed when his head and back struck the merciless floor and started to flail, panicking as he felt Thanos’ grip tighten around his neck. He could hear bones start to creak ominously and Loki clawed at the arm of the titan. Terror flooded his mind and consumed him as he flashbacked to that horrific day on the ship of Asgardian refugees. Hearing his brother’s muffled screams, knowing Thor would be next in Thanos’ wrath. Knowing he had failed in this last act of heroism and resorting to a desperate gamble, one he wasn’t even sure would work…

“You have no family. Thor is not your brother, he owes you no loyalty. Odin should have left you to die on that battlefield, but instead he brought home a monster. And our beloved queen, wise king, and golden prince paid with their lives,” Thanos growled. Spots started to dance in Loki’s vision as he continued to fight to draw in breath, his panic intensifying even as his hold on consciousness slipped. _I can’t die! I can’t die! Thor still needs my help! Norns, I can’t die!_ Loki thought as his eyes slid shut.

_*_

Loki opened his eyes and found himself in a field…no, a garden. A very familiar garden. When he realized where he was, Loki slumped to his knees and put a hand over his face.

“Loki, my darling.”

A soft hand touched his shoulder and the back of her fingers trailed gently down his cheek. Loki dropped his hand and offered her a watery smile.

“Hello, mother.”

Frigga grinned and leaned forward, kissing his brow. “I have missed you, dearest.”

Loki placed his hand over hers, holding it to his face. He closed his eyes and a few tears slipped free, trailing down his face, which she gently brushed away. Gods, he missed her so much.

“Mother,” he whispered and she laughed lightly. “Mother, I’m sorry. Please forgive me for the last words I spoke to you. They were spoken in anger. I did not mean them.”

“I know, my son, I know,” Frigga replied, wrapping her arms around his lithe form. “I’m so proud of you, Loki. Your actions on Asgard and on Midgard, fighting Hela and then Thanos, you showed great courage and valor. I knew you would.”

Loki buried his face in the smooth cool silk of her dress, embracing her tightly. She pressed a kiss into his dark locks and rubbed his back before pulling out of the hug. Loki looked at her with bright green eyes, a small smile dancing over his lips.

“You cannot stay long, sweetheart,” Frigga spoke gently, a frown briefly crossing her features. “You are in danger as is Thor. You must go back.”

Loki shook his head. “I underestimated this man, this Halvard. Perhaps when he finishes me, he will give Thor the elixir he needs to live.”

Frigga stared at Loki, skeptically. He couldn’t help but cringe at her expression. Loki knew that look. It was the “Do you really believe that?” look she often wore when he was being arrogant or stubborn and assuming the outcome of a situation. The trickster sighed, his shoulders slumping.

“We have a Valkyrie with us. She’ll be able to defeat him,” he offered.

“ _You_ can defeat him, my son. You are powerful and a fighter,” Frigga insisted, leaning forward and kissing his brow again. “Your brother needs you, now more than ever. You gave him your word that you wouldn’t leave.”

Loki stared at her, holding tightly to her hand. “I do not know how to win this fight, Mother.”

Frigga smiled at her son and ran her other hand through his hair. “Remember when I taught you how to fight, all those years ago? Take a deep breath.”

She stood up, pulling Loki to his feet.

“If ever you cannot trust one sense, use another. Never rely entirely on magic. It is merely a tool, one that should be used sparingly,” Frigga continued, echoing the lessons from long ago. Loki remembered. He remembered his mother teaching him how to fight. He remembered the way she showed him how to move like silk, to think of his blade as an extension of his arm.

“And what’s the most important lesson when you’re in a fight for your very life?”

“Cheaters win,” Loki whispered, sharing a knowing smile with her.

“That’s right, my darling,” Frigga replied, kissing his cheek. “Never forget my love for you, Loki, my son. Now go. Survive.”

_*_

Loki’s eyes snapped open and he swiftly reached down to his belt, grabbing ahold of the small knife he kept hidden there. It was one he had driven into Thor’s side before, when fighting high above the streets of New York. Now, he yanked it out and thrust it deep into Halvard’s side, between his ribs. But instead of withdrawing it, the trickster twisted it and dragged it to the side, causing the mage to howl in pain and scramble away from him.

Loki rolled onto his side, greedily sucking in the air he had been deprived of. He grabbed his daggers from the floor and climbed to his feet. Tossing his knives up and catching them again, Loki prepared to finish the fight.

Halvard lunged at him and Loki quickly deflected the blow aimed at him, punching the mage’s wounded side with his other hand, forcing him to back up.

“Did you _really_ think a few substandard illusions and juvenile words about my heritage would hurt me? You truly are a fool and a boring one at that,” Loki stated as he approached Halvard menacingly. “I know who and what I am. I have fought against Hela, the goddess of death, and Thanos, the mad titan, destroyer of worlds. Words from a bitter mage using archaic magic are mere child’s play.”

Halvard swung at him and Loki easily deflected, moving to strike at him with his dagger. Halvard blocked and they were face-to-face. Loki bared his teeth as he forced them closer together.

“I am Loki. Son of Odin and Frigga, brother to Thor. A prince of Asgard, now head advisor of New Asgard, rightful king of Jotunheim, god of mischief and lies, master of magic and sorcery. Undying, savior of Asgard and more recently of Midgard,” Loki declared confidently. “Your words are meaningless to me, mage.”

Raising his knee, Loki buried it in Halvard’s wounded side and then shoved the man away. The Asgardian let out a yelp as he sat down hard. Loki lazily rotated his dagger around, staring down at the man with disinterest.

“You think you are the only one who has lost people? Who has felt the pain of grief?” Loki demanded as he stopped spinning his dagger. “I have been to Hel and back many, _many_ times. I have been tortured, beaten, turned into a monster and used as a madman’s puppet. I lost _everything_ : my home, my family, my own _life_. Thanos murdered my brother, left him to bleed out on the field of battle, a slow agonizing death. The fact that Thor returned did not lessen the pain of feeling him die in my arms and being utterly powerless to stop it. So do not speak to me of pain!”

Loki kicked Halvard in his side so that he crashed against the nearest wall. The trickster followed behind, prepared to finish the job.

“Before I kill you, I find I’m rather curious about something if you would be so kind as to provide me an answer,” Loki continued as he got closer. “Why go to all this trouble merely to lure me here? Why target my brother rather than me? Were you that scared of me? That much of a coward?”

Halvard scoffed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “So naïve. Foolish, arrogant, Jotun monster—”

“Yes, yes, I get that. You don’t like me,” Loki interrupted him, rotating his wrist around to make him get to the point. “Now, the answer to the question I actually asked…?”

Halvard smiled, an unsettling expression. “This was never about you. I _wanted_ to kill Thor.”

That took Loki off guard and he didn’t realize his mistake until he was sailing across the room again. Smashing into another wall, Loki slid to the ground, dazed.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FRIGGA CAMEO! I adore Frigga (and I'll forever be mad about the MCU fridging her).
> 
> Loki got in a teeny bit over his head and needed a little pep-talk from Frigga. Boy, Halvard certainly didn't count on that one. 
> 
> Also, writing fight scenes is super freaking hard :-S
> 
> Next chapter is a doozy, but it has some really awesome Thor and Loki interaction. It also has my favorite scene of this fic in it. Gah! I can't believe this fic will be completed next week.
> 
> As always, reviews and kudos are greatly appreciated :)
> 
> Chapter nine is entitled "A Brother's Love" and it will be up Friday.
> 
> See all of you then!


	9. A Brother's Love

Thor had drifted off into sleep. He was still uncomfortably cold, but the heating blankets were helping at least a little. Pain had started to take root in his joints and he was experiencing a mild cough. It was as if his body wanted to remind him that it was still suffering the ill effects of a poisonous spell. Thor had faith in Loki and Brunhilde. The two of them were some of the best warriors in New Asgard.

The god of thunder was woken by a frantic pounding on the window of the car, followed by the door being thrown open. Thor pushed himself up on one elbow, rubbing his eyes. Brunhilde’s face soon came into focus.

“Brunhilde, what—?” Thor stopped when he saw how wide and concerned her eyes were. “Where is my brother?”

“Still in that dwelling, but I can’t get back in. It’s an Asgardian mage,” Brunhilde explained hurriedly. “He’s got Loki.”

Thor felt his heart freeze at those words. No, this couldn’t be happening. Not again. He couldn’t lose Loki again.

The god of thunder was out of the car in an instant, moving around to the back. He threw off the tarp that was covering Stormbreaker and grabbed ahold of the handle. An ache traveled through his body, reminding him that using his lightning would not be a wise idea. Thor shut the back door and followed Brunhilde up the pathway to the cloaked house.

“Loki touched a wall and it transported us inside somehow,” Brunhilde told him, running a hand over her hair. “I can’t get back in though.”

Thor glanced at her and then laid a hand on the wall, suddenly feeling himself yanked off his feet. He landed hard on his knees on a metal floor with a grunt, clenching his eyes shut as he tried to shake the feeling of nausea that traveled through him. Opening his eyes again and carefully rising to his feet, he stared in horror at the scene before him.

He was back on the ship of Asgardian refugees, his people, shortly after Thanos massacred them. The broken and twisted bodies of men, women, and children covered the floor. Thor swallowed the sick feeling in his throat and looked up, almost shouting in surprise when he saw Ebony Maw and Proxima Midnight standing a few feet away.

Holding Stormbreaker tightly, Thor prepared for their attack. It never came. They continued standing in one place, staring at him. Frowning, Thor carefully approached them, alert for any movement. Somewhere in the distance he heard a scream. With a yell, he sliced through the two members of the Black Order. They disappeared in a shimmering puff of smoke when his blade made contact with them. _Illusions,_ Thor realized.

A loud bang behind him made Thor twist around. The wall on the far side shimmered faintly, almost imperceptibly.

“You have _no_ family, only a lie. Thor is not your brother and if he had accepted that, he wouldn’t have to die,” a muffled voice came from behind the wall followed by another loud thump, which sounded a lot like a body hitting a solid surface. A red haze settled over the god of thunder’s vision. He recognized that voice, the voice of the mad titan. The one behind all this slaughter.

Thor twisted Stormbreaker in his grasp and stalked over to the shimmering wall, raising his weapon and slicing through another illusion. The metal of the ship disappeared, leaving a plain white wall with an elegant set of wooden doors. Raising a foot, Thor kicked the doors open.

_*_

Loki let out a snarl when Halvard grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him up, putting a dagger to his throat. The mage had once again cast a glamor on himself to take on Thanos’ appearance and now the titan’s voice. The fight had become a vicious brawl with both men fighting dirty and landing an equal amount of blows. Blood dripped lazily from the large cut Loki had left on Halvard’s brow and the mage would be sporting a black eye in the morning. He was also favoring one leg and bleeding heavily from the side where Loki had stabbed him with his small dagger. Halvard had thrown Loki around the room, smashing the trickster into a number of walls, and eventually managed to get the upper hand. Now Loki found himself with an uncomfortably sharp dagger at his throat. Blood was flowing from the trickster’s nose and his split lip, but he still glared defiantly at the illusion of Thanos’ face.

“At least tell me why you wanted to kill my brother,” Loki gasped, tightly gripping the wrist of the arm holding the dagger, keeping it from slashing his throat. “If you blame me for all your misfortunes, then why torment Thor?”

“Because you’re a monster, Laufeyson. No matter what kind of glamor Odin put on you, you’ve always been a monster. Thor had a duty to his people. He should have protected the people of Asgard, protected families like mine from the likes of you, but instead he brought us to slaughter by allying with you. _You_ are to blame for Hela being released and for the carnage brought by Thanos,” Halvard explained, disturbingly calm and ignoring Loki rolling his eyes.

As the mage rambled on, Loki reached out with his seidr. He had sensed something…there! There was a hint of the magic he was looking for in an inner pocket of Halvard’s tunic. The elixir Thor needed, the fool had it on him. _This man is such an amateur, one who loves the sound of his own voice,_ Loki thought as he kept his expression neutral, if slightly pained. If he could convince Halvard that his words were having an effect, it would undoubtedly feed his ego and make him let his guard down. All Loki had to do was knock him out and grab the glass vial. Then it was just a matter of breaking through some charms and getting out.

“If only he had disowned you and upheld his duty as protector of the Nine Realms then I wouldn’t have had to resort to such unpleasant tactics. But alas, he wouldn’t abandon this delusion and it has already cost the lives of too many innocent Asgardians,” Halvard finished.

While he spoke, Loki started forming a ball of energy in his free hand, waiting for the opportune moment. He suppressed a smirk as he waited patiently for his opening, which would be coming soon…

The sudden sound of the door being kicked open startled both Loki and Halvard, drawing their attention that way. _Oh shit,_ Loki thought. Thor stormed into the room and when he saw Thanos holding Loki with a blade to his throat, he reacted instinctively.

“No! Thor, don’t! It’s not—” Loki screamed in horror when his brother lifted his hand. But he was too late, much too late. A single bolt of electricity left Thor’s fingers, speeding at Halvard. It was nowhere near as powerful as Thor’s lightning normally was, but it knocked the mage away from Loki and broke the glamor Halvard was wearing. Thor instantly collapsed, his entire body shaking violently.

The second Halvard let him go, Loki scrambled to his brother’s side. Swiftly throwing a shield over both of them so the mage wouldn’t be able to attack them while Thor was vulnerable, Loki turned his full attention to his brother.

“You damn impulsive fool,” he grumbled, suppressing whatever fear he felt. “Thor? Thor? Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare die!”

He placed his hands on his brother’s chest, feeling the racing heart and the tremors that still wracked Thor’s body. Too fast, his heart was going much, much too fast. It would give out at this rate. Loki closed his eyes and used his seidr, wrapping it carefully around Thor’s frantically racing heart. _Norns why does he have to be so damn reckless? How much damage did he do? What if it’s too much? Thor could die right now. He could die,_ Loki thought. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to remain calm. The seidr wrapped gently around Thor’s heart, coaxing the muscle to slow down. Loki knew it was unwise to leave his back to an enemy, even with a shield up, but if he didn’t slow Thor’s heart, his brother was going to die within the next few minutes.

When Thor’s heartbeat was almost at a normal rhythm, Loki heard a loud shattering sound behind him. His eyes flew open and his breath caught in his throat. He already knew, without even looking, what had just happened. It was a careless mistake and more likely than not, it would cost Thor his life. The heart beneath his fingers finally slowed to a regular rhythm and Thor groaned softly.

“Loki?” Thor’s voice was so soft that Loki saw the words more than heard them. Loki let out a breath of relief and dropped his head to Thor’s chest, running his hand over Thor’s short hair. Straightening up again, Loki looked to his brother’s face, smiling faintly in case Thor opened his eyes.

“I’m here, brother,” Loki assured him, grasping his hand and giving it a soft squeeze.

“Are-are you…?”

Loki could hear the hesitance and worry in Thor’s barely audible voice. The trickster knew what his brother was trying to ask even though he couldn’t finish the question. Thor had encountered images from the worst day of his life and was likely experiencing a massive amount of pain, yet his concern was still his younger brother’s safety. He had nearly died and Thor was concerned about Loki. Despite how worried he was, Loki felt a surge of love for his brother. He leaned down and gently kissed Thor’s brow.

“Yes, Thor. I am safe and unharmed. You saved me, brother. The danger has passed,” he whispered. Thor smiled faintly and Loki carefully let go of his hand. “Stay here and rest for a moment, okay? I will return shortly.”

Loki hoped the god of thunder would do as asked. The trickster didn’t want his brother to see what he had to do. _Forgive me for this, Thor._

“To have gotten so close only to fail,” Halvard spoke with mocking sympathy. “But that has always been your destiny, from the mo—”

The mage was cut off when Loki lunged at him with a cry of unadulterated rage, slamming him against the nearest wall. The glamor on the house dropped, revealing the simple dwelling in its true form. Loki pulled out his dagger and pressed it against Halvard’s throat, tears welling up in his eyes. He hated the man, an almost animalistic hatred. The trickster wanted to open up the mage’s throat and feel his hot blood on his hands. Loki wanted Halvard dead. The mage smiled at him, triumph gleaming in his eyes.

The only thing that stopped Loki from killing the man was a gentle, cold hand on his wrist. He could hear slightly ragged breathing next to him and felt the normally warm presence standing there. Loki briefly closed his eyes and shook his head, his resolve not wavering.

“Loki,” Thor whispered. Loki’s hand trembled a little, but he kept his knife pressed against Halvard’s jugular. This man had hurt his brother, tormented him, possibly killed him, and made both of them relive some of their worst memories. Loki was damn sure going to make him pay for that. Thor’s grip remained firm on his wrist, but Loki could still finish the job. He knew Thor was aware of that.

“Brother, please,” there was a hint of pain in Thor’s voice. “Please, don’t do this.”

Loki could feel himself shaking, but he didn’t move. “Leave, Thor. Just go back to the car with the Valkyrie. I’ll be along shortly.”

“I cannot do that, Loki,” Thor replied, infuriatingly calm. “You know I can’t. If I do, I’ll lose you again and I won’t let that happen.”

“You still call this creature your brother. It’s an affront to your people. You share no blood, he isn’t even Asgardian. You should have denounced him when you had the chance. Your death will not be a pleasant one, Odinson,” Halvard choked out, a smile spreading across his face. Blood filmed his teeth, making him appear even more monstrous. Loki gritted his teeth and pressed the blade even more against his throat, drawing a thin line of blood. Thor glared at Halvard, even as he kept a hand on Loki’s wrist.

“It doesn’t matter whose blood flows through his veins. Loki has always and will always be my brother. He is my family,” Thor declared firmly and without hesitation before turning his attention back to the dark-haired trickster. Loki’s hand trembled every now and again, but his stance didn’t waver. An unsettling determination shone in his bright green eyes.

“Loki, brother, do not let this man win. Do not let him make you into the monster he thinks you are,” Thor continued to speak calmly. “You’re no monster. You never were. You’re my brother, a son and prince of Asgard, a hero…in your own strange way and this isn’t what heroes do.”

Thor laughed softly at the memory, but Loki didn’t move or react at all. When his attempt at humor fell flat, Thor swallowed and tightened his grip a little on the trickster’s wrist. He didn’t know what would happen, if he could stop Loki from killing this man, but Thor had to try.

“You’re my family, Loki, no matter what he says,” Thor continued, urging his brother to hear his words.

“I know, Thor,” Loki replied, sounding peevish. “This isn’t about that. If we let him live, he wins. You’ll still die and he’ll face no consequences.”

Thor rested a hand gently on the back of his neck.

“If that’s what’s meant to be, it will be. If that’s what’s to happen, I will need my brother more than ever. If you kill him, he wins and I’ll lose you. You’re the only family I have left, Loki. You swore to me, you swore that you wouldn’t leave again,” Thor countered, resting his brow against Loki’s temple. “Please do not break your word, not this time, brother. Do not make me mourn you again.”

Loki kept the knife where it was, a single tear crawling down his cheek. He was going to avenge his brother. Thor deserved that, after all he had been through and all he had lost. His brother was a hero and he shouldn’t get his hands dirty. Loki, though, Loki already had more than enough blood on his hands. A little more wouldn’t make a difference.

“Loki, look at me,” Thor commanded and the trickster, almost against his will, turned his eyes to his brother. The god of thunder was pale, too pale, but his eye was still bright and aware. Thor had always had Frigga’s eyes. He offered the trickster a small grin, which was also so similar to their mother’s. It made Loki’s heart ache.

“I’m not dead yet, brother,” Thor said quietly. “I’m right here.”

There was a pleading quality to Thor’s expression and Loki felt his resolve start to crack. Thor was again reaching out to pull him back from an abyss. It had never mattered to Thor who or what Loki was. All that mattered to the god of thunder was that the trickster was his brother, his infuriating often reckless younger brother. Loki knew what it was like to fall, to watch his brother stand by helplessly and shatter into pieces. The trickster didn’t want to do that to Thor or himself, not again. He wanted to be a good man.

Swallowing, Loki nodded. “Okay, Thor.”

The trickster removed his dagger from Halvard’s throat and roughly shoved the mage away. Thor quickly wrapped an arm around Loki, kissing his head, and leading him away from their fallen enemy. The god of thunder was starting to shiver, his temperature dropping again, and his legs were unsteady. Loki allowed his brother to lean against him. Thor was still sick, still dying, and Loki had to figure out how to stop it. There had to be another way. There was always another way.

“Thank you, brother,” Thor whispered, glancing behind them. Loki let out a yelp when Thor spun them around, placing himself in front of his younger brother. Instinctively, Loki threw up a barrier behind Thor and heard a blade bounce off the shield.

At that moment, Brunhilde stormed into the room and threw the dagger she had been holding. Loki heard the blade sink into flesh and closed his eyes, rubbing them.

“Dammit, Thor,” he grumbled. “What in the seven hells were you thinking?”

Loki heard Brunhilde walk past them, going to retrieve her dagger.

“Did you expect me to just stand by and watch you get killed?” Thor asked, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“I can conjure shields, brother,” Loki reminded him tersely as he stepped around the god of thunder.

“Your back was turned!  You’re good, Loki, but you have to be aware of a threat to protect yourself from it,” Thor replied just as snappishly, drawing a glare from Loki.

“Oi! Would you two stop your bickering!” Brunhilde yelled over to them as she cleaned off her blade. “Norns, you’re worse than children.”

Loki dropped to his knees by the shards of broken glass on the floor. The remains of the vial that had held the one elixir that could save his brother. The trickster ran his hand through his hair, a thousand thoughts racing through his head. He had to figure out a way to fix this. He had to.

_*_

A short time later, Loki sat in the backseat of the car. Thor was kneeling in front of him, running a damp cloth under his nose, cleaning away the blood. It was a slow process due to his hands shaking, not entirely from the cold he felt, but Thor continued trying and was making steady progress. When he finished cleaning the blood from the trickster’s nose, Thor poured a little more water on the cloth and gently took one of Loki’s hands in his own, dabbing at his battered knuckles.

Loki’s body ached and his seidr was already repairing a number of fractured bones. He hadn’t spoken a word in more than an hour, just stared off into the distance with a contemplative expression. Thor was beginning to get worried. He knew Loki’s mind was likely racing, but the trickster also looked dazed. The god of thunder remembered the way his heart stopped when he saw the mad titan holding his brother on his knees, about to slit Loki’s throat. Thor was so sure he was going to lose his brother again and he just reacted. His entire body still hurt, his head was pounding, and he felt weaker than he ever had before, but Thor didn’t care.

“You’re sure your seidr is healing your wounds?” Thor asked, glancing to a gradually disappearing gash in Loki’s side. The trickster merely nodded, not looking away from some point on the horizon. Thor turned his attention to Loki’s other hand, carefully brushing away the dried and drying blood. _Loki’s alive and Thanos is still dead. Everything is okay. Everything is completely fine,_ Thor reminded himself, trying not to stare at his brother.

“Called S.H.I.E.L.D to give them a heads up about what happened,” Brunhilde said as she came back down the path. “They’re going to send out a local team to do some cleanup and draw up a cover story just in case. Seeing as how this place is out in the middle of nowhere and Halvard was pretty much a loner since arriving on Midgard, I’d say we’re probably in the clear.”

The Valkyrie rested her wrist on top of the open car door, studying Loki. “He okay?”

Thor smiled sadly as he finally finished cleaning the blood from Loki’s knuckles. “He will be. My brother is resilient. It has been a very long day and I think all of us could use some rest.”

Brunhilde swallowed and looked down at the ground, kicking at a clump of dirt. “Thor, listen—”

“Brunhilde, it’s okay,” Thor interrupted, standing up and looking over at her. “I know the situation looks bleak, but I’ve survived worse.”

Turning his attention back to Loki, Thor’s smile became even warmer. “We’ll figure something out.”

Brunhilde laughed softly and pushed away from the door, walking around the front of the car and getting in the driver’s side. “Well, we should get back to New Asgard, before Banner starts stressing about what happened to us and goes big and green.”

Thor chuckled as he turned his attention back to his brother. The god of thunder studied the dark-haired trickster. “Loki?”

Loki finally looked up at his elder brother and offered him a confident smile. “Well…that could have gone better.”

In their younger years, Thor would have seen the trickster’s grin as a sure sign that he was fine. However, subsequent years had taught Thor that he sometimes had to look closer, listen to the words that weren’t said. Sometimes his brother was wearing a mask and Loki was highly skilled at appearing carefree and nonchalant, even if he wasn’t.

When he was younger, Thor definitely would have taken Loki’s words at face value and missed the hint of defeat in those bright green eyes. He wouldn’t have noticed the concern and fear hiding in that grin. Thor would have left Loki in pain without even knowing it. But now, now he was older and wiser. Now, Thor knew better. And seeing what Loki was trying to hide, even from himself, broke the god of thunder’s heart. So Thor wrapped his arms around his brother, hugging him tightly even though the trickster squirmed at first. After a moment, Loki’s slender arms hesitantly wrapped around him.

“Thor, I…I do not know how to fix this,” Loki admitted softly, resting his head on Thor’s broad shoulder. “That elixir was your only hope and he shattered it.”

Thor shushed him gently, cradling the back of the trickster’s head. “It’s all right, brother, it’s all right. We’re both still here and that’s all that matters. We’ll figure something out. Remember what mother always used to say? Sometimes the light of a new day illuminates the answer to a difficult problem.”

Loki swallowed and clenched his eyes shut, drawing in a shaky breath. The god of thunder did his best to suppress his shivering, which was getting more and more difficult by the minute. He could feel his temperature dropping again and wasn’t sure how much time he had. While he wouldn’t admit it, Thor had started thinking of getting his affairs in order. Just in case they couldn’t find a solution in time.

“I want to go home,” Loki whispered. “Can we go home?”

Even though he felt ill, Thor couldn’t help but smile. Before they reunited, Loki had scoffed at the idea of home, a notion he found cloying and ultimately pointless. Even after the War of the Gauntlet, “home” wasn’t a term Loki often used. In fact, the god of thunder couldn’t remember the last time he heard his brother use that word. Pulling out of the hug, Thor nodded and kissed the trickster’s brow.

Loki got to his feet and moved over to the passenger’s seat, sinking into it and shutting the door on his side. Thor climbed into the back, shut the door, and buried himself under the blankets. Brunhilde started the car and Thor glanced over to Loki. The trickster was massaging his brow and in the side mirror, Thor could see his eyes were closed, a clear sign of how stressed and tired he was. The god of thunder smiled, a thought dancing about in his mind.

“Loki?”

“Yes, Thor?”

“We should have done ‘Get Help.’”

Loki laughed softly and Thor joined in with his brother’s laughter. Even Brunhilde smiled faintly and shook her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Loki weren't so worried, I'm almost certain he would be 100% done at this point. (LOKI: THOR, WTF!?).
> 
> This chapter was fairly easy to write even though it took me longer than the others (I was playing around with various scenarios and character placements until I arrived at one I liked). I really loved writing the scene where Loki tells Thor that he won and successfully saved Loki's life (because I think that's something Thor really needed to hear).
> 
> My favorite scene, the one I mentioned in the notes for the last scene, is the last scene where Thor is cleaning up Loki. Because I have a headcanon that when they were growing up, it was often Loki who was cleaning up Thor after fights and adventures. So there's a bit of a role reversal in this scene, which is always interesting to write. But I also like writing scenes like this, where love is communicated through gestures and acts rather than words. When Thor asks if Loki's seidr is healing is wounds, that's also a way to ask if Loki's okay (and if he's ready to speak yet). Loki is coming down from an adrenaline rush, he's overwhelmed and trying to process all that just happened. Thor's giving him space, but also making sure his brother knows he's there. I just felt like it was a really nice moment between the two :)
> 
> Fair warning: next chapter is super heavy on the angst. Needless to say, it comes with a tissue warning. It's also one of the longest chapters in the fic.
> 
> As always, kudos and reviews are very much appreciated :)
> 
> Next chapter is entitled "Hope" and it will be up Monday.
> 
> See all of you then!


	10. Hope

Thor fell asleep shortly after they left Halvard’s home, but unlike the journey there, his sleep was not peaceful. He whimpered and thrashed as much as he could in the relatively cramped backseat. The god of thunder would cry softly, calling for his family. The shivering began to get worse, even though his temperature, while low, remained more or less stable. About an hour into the journey home, Thor began weeping and calling for Loki, begging him to be okay, pleading for him not to leave. Every heartbroken plea felt like a knife being driven into Brunhilde’s chest and she considered turning on the radio, unsure of how much longer she could listen to Thor’s pain.

“Pull over,” Loki ordered in a soft, even tone. Normally, if he had given an order like that, Brunhilde would have come up with a cutting reply. She opened her mouth to do so, but then looked over at Loki. His green eyes were filled with sorrow and a hint of desperation. The Valkyrie closed her mouth, nodded, and carefully pulled over to the side of the road. Loki swiftly exited the car, moving over to the backseat and climbing in. He maneuvered Thor so that the god of thunder’s head was resting on his lap.

“Shh, brother,” Loki whispered. “Shh, I’m here. I will not leave, not again. You are having a bad dream, but I’m here, Thor.”

Loki glanced up when Brunhilde pulled back onto the road again. He turned his attention to his brother, focusing on Thor. The god of thunder’s eye was clenched shut and he was turning his head side-to-side. The trickster ran his fingers through Thor’s short hair, gently shushing him. His brother’s nightmares weren’t as frequent as they had been that first year after his return, but he still had them on occasion. Loki had learned that Thor responded best to physical contact during such dreams.

“Don’t go, Loki. Please, please do not take my brother. No…no…” Thor whimpered, tears slipping from his eye. The trickster’s eyes welled up and he could feel his heart breaking. Letting out a steadying breath, Loki carefully laid his palm upon Thor’s brow and closed his eyes, focusing. Normally, he only pulled forth memories to disable an opponent who had gotten the upper hand. It was a great way to regain the advantage: pulling forth an aggressor’s worst memories. It was a tactic Loki had used on bullies during his younger years and later, during his darker days, he would use it to win a fight that he was losing.

He had never pulled forth good memories before. Loki knew how to do it, but he’d never had a reason to. Not even on himself when he was being held and tortured by Thanos. Good memories could be just as debilitating as bad ones in certain situations. However, he couldn’t let Thor suffer any longer. Loki couldn’t stand to see his brother in pain. Thor didn’t deserve this, he never had.

The trickster carefully sifted through his brother’s memories and called forth the happiest ones Thor had. Memories of his childhood in the beautiful halls of the palace in Asgard, running through them with his brother. Playing with Loki in Frigga’s gardens. Playing with his favorite snakes. Lessons with Odin. Hugs from Frigga. Becoming a warrior and fighting with Loki and his friends by his side.

Loki called forth memories from later in Thor’s life, doing his best to selectively bring up memories that omitted the fights between him and Thor after Loki’s fall. Thor meeting the Avengers, forging lifelong friendships with all of them, winning many victories and protecting Midgard alongside them. His brief relationship with Jane and the friends he made during his first trip to Midgard.

Loki next brought forth memories from during and after the War of the Gauntlet. He didn’t want to hurt his brother, but he remembered the look of pure joy when Thor saw that his younger brother was alive. He called forth memories of the Guardians and Thor’s bond with them. The trickster finally brought up all the memories of Thor returning to New Asgard and everything that had happened subsequently.

The god of thunder went quiet and relaxed, the tension leaving his body. Loki adjusted the heated blankets covering his brother and then rested his hand on Thor’s brow again, turning his gaze out the window. He thought he’d conjured enough good memories to combat the bad ones Halvard’s illusions had stirred up, but if he hadn’t, Loki would go through them again. He would keep his brother’s sleep peaceful for the journey home.

When they were a few hours from Asgard, the shivering started getting worse and Loki woke Thor up to take his temperature. Looking at the readout, Loki felt his heart clench with fear. It was more than two degrees lower than it had been when they set out. Glancing at the heated blanket, Loki saw it was turned to the maximum setting.

“That…that is not a good expression,” Thor managed to get out through chattering teeth. “Brunhilde, I think I might be d-done for.”

Despite his discomfort, there was still a hint of amusement in his voice. Loki snickered and shook his head, amused despite his concern. He put the thermometer off to the side.

“Oh come on, big guy. I thought pessimism was more Lackey’s area,” Brunhilde mentioned as she glanced up in the rearview mirror with a hint of a smile. “You’re supposed to be sunshine and rainbows.”

“She’s right, brother,” Loki added, pulling up the heating blankets more on Thor. “Your temperature is the same, no lower or higher.”

“Li-liar,” Thor said lightly, his laughter becoming a coughing fit. Loki swallowed and opened his mouth to offer some sort of comfort. None came to mind and so he just waited as Thor struggled to get his coughing under control. He began running his fingers through Thor’s short hair again, a comforting gesture. The trickster glanced up to the rearview mirror, exchanging a look with Brunhilde.

“Loki?”

“Hmm?”

Thor curled up even more, grasping Loki’s free hand. “Do-don’t take me back to the hospital. When we get back to New Asgard. Just…just take me home. If I’m to die from this, I do not wish to leave this world in a hospital. I would prefer to be in the comfort of our home.”

“You’re not going to die, Thor. We promised Banner that—”

“Please, brother. Do this for me.”

Loki swallowed around the lump in his throat, struggling to find his words. He didn’t want to lose Thor. He couldn’t. The god of thunder was all he had left, all that remained of Loki’s home. The trickster opened his mouth to reject the ludicrous request.

Then Loki looked to his brother and closed his mouth. Thor watched him with a pleading blue eye and Loki knew that the god of thunder would fight the spell afflicting him with everything he had, no matter where he was. Thor didn’t want to die and he would fight to live, but if he couldn’t win this fight…

Loki closed his eyes and nodded. “All right, Thor. We shall return home, but I’m still calling Banner to come and care for you.”

Thor smiled at him, squeezing the hand he held. “Thank you, Loki.”

The trickster offered his older brother a very shaky smile and continued running his fingers through Thor’s hair. He watched as Thor drifted off into an easy sleep, trembling and still grasping Loki’s hand.

_*_

By the time they returned to New Asgard, Thor could not walk without assistance due to how violently he was shivering. Loki held one large arm over his shoulders and wrapped the other around Thor’s waist. He tossed Brunhilde the key to the front door and she unlocked it for them before returning to the car and retrieving the blankets.

“I’ll go get Banner,” Brunhilde said as she passed by the brothers on her way out. Loki nodded to her and helped his brother inside the house. He kicked the door closed behind them.

“Bed or couch?” the trickster asked. Thor swallowed.

“Bed,” he answered and Loki carefully steered them toward the bedroom.

“You weigh more than a damn horse,” Loki grumbled and Thor laughed softly. They reached the bedroom and Loki helped Thor into bed, quickly removing his boots before his brother laid down and curled up under the covers.

Returning to the main area, the trickster retrieved the heated blankets and returned to Thor. He set about draping them over his brother, checking to make sure they were on. Moving back out into the main area, Loki made sure the thermostat was turned up. Turning it up a little more, the trickster looked around the main area as he removed his own boots. His eyes landed on a relatively comfortable chair, which he grabbed and dragged into the bedroom. Setting the chair up next to Thor’s bed, Loki put his feet up on the mattress, right by Thor’s face (they were brothers, after all), and waited.

Almost an hour later, there was a knock on the front door. Glancing to his brother to make sure Thor was sleeping peacefully, Loki quickly stood from his chair and moved to answer the door. He found an exasperated Bruce Banner and an indifferent Brunhilde standing beside him.

“Hello, Bruce,” Loki greeted.

“I believe I specified that you were to bring your brother back to the hospital when you returned,” Banner said, a hint of irritation in his voice. Loki licked his lips and held the door open, gesturing for them to enter. Banner entered but Brunhilde took a step back.

“I’ve got to make a few calls. I’ll be back later,” the Valkyrie said as she turned and walked off. Loki closed the door again and turned his attention to Banner.

“Believe me, I would have brought Thor to the hospital had it been my decision,” Loki explained softly. “My brother requested to be brought home and…if he’s to die, Thor wishes to be here.”

“And how do you know he’s going to die? How do you know Thor is beyond help?”

Loki shifted his weight and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall and meeting Banner’s gaze. For the next few minutes, he explained all that had happened. Loki told him exactly how it had gone wrong and how unlikely it was to find any kind of solution, based on the magic that was used. By the time he was done, Banner was staring at the trickster in stunned silence. Loki drew in a deep breath.

“So you see, Bruce, I do not want to deny my brother this last comfort, if that’s what is going to happen,” Loki finished. “No matter what I want, I cannot take this choice from Thor.”

Banner was quiet for a minute, his brow furrowed as if he were thinking of something. He turned to look in the direction of the bedroom.

“Okay, I’m going to check on him and then I’ll go back to the hospital to get some things,” Banner said, looking back to Loki. “I have some vacation time saved up. I can help you keep him comfortable and give him a better quality of life, if he truly doesn’t have much time left.”

Loki looked down to his feet. “Thank you.”

_*_

For the next few days, Banner and Loki dedicated themselves to caring for the ailing god of thunder. It was soon apparent that they were fighting a losing battle. His temperature continued dropping and his heart started to weaken. Thor started having some difficulty breathing and frequently required oxygen. He wasn’t often conscious and when he was, Thor rarely spoke and it was sometimes difficult to tell how aware he was.

One day, Loki was sitting with his brother and he heard a change in Thor’s breathing. The trickster felt a flare of anger.

“Listen, you damn oaf. You are _not_ leaving me alone to run this damn place by myself. You didn’t survive Thanos, the destroyer of galaxies, to succumb to some second-rate mage using outdated spells. I swear, Thor, if you die, I will travel to Valhalla and drag you right back out. Do you hear me? It’s not your time,” Loki snapped at him.

Strangely, his brother’s breathing seemed to get slightly easier, though his heartrate was still very weak. Loki dropped his face to his hand, exhausted. He hated this. The entire situation, Loki just hated it. _This can’t be the end of our journey. It can’t be._

“Not your fault.”

Loki almost missed the words, which were muffled by the oxygen mask Thor was wearing. He glanced to his brother’s face, noticing Thor’s eye was open and studying the trickster.

“If…if I don’t make it, it’s not your fault,” the god of thunder spoke gently. Loki could feel tears well up in his eyes and he quickly closed them, looking away, unable to respond. The feeling of a shaking hand pressed against his chest drew Loki’s attention back to his brother. Thor had his hand over the trickster’s heart and he grinned faintly.

“Right h-here,” he whispered, meeting his brother’s green eyes. “I’ll always be with you right here.”

Loki felt his lower lip trembling and he swiped away tears. _Don’t go. Please don’t go,_ he wanted to plead with Thor but he couldn’t bring himself to speak, not trusting his voice at the moment. The trickster did what he had done in his younger and more innocent days, before he started spiraling. Before his nightmares came to life. He climbed up on the bed, curling up next to Thor like he used to when they were younger and one of them would have nightmares. His pride never allowed him to ask for help, to speak openly of what bothered or scared him. But Thor always seemed to instinctively know how to comfort his younger brother, even if he didn’t know what was bothering him. Thor wrapped his arm around Loki, protective and comforting, just like he had when they were young.

“Thor—”

“You’re here, Loki. You’re here and alive. That’s enough. That has always been enough.”

Loki sighed softly and closed his eyes. “If you die, I’ll stab you, Thor.”

Thor laughed quietly. “I know, brother.”

“I’m serious,” Loki mumbled and yawned. Long nights of searching for something, anything, that could help Thor had left the trickster exhausted. So, Loki allowed himself to drift off into a light sleep, listening to his brother’s quiet amused laughter.

A few minutes later, Thor glanced to the doorway when Brunhilde stepped in. She tilted her chin up at the trickster.

“Is he asleep?” she asked quietly. Thor looked at his brother, running his fingers through the trickster’s dark hair. When Loki didn’t respond, Thor turned his eye back to the Valkyrie and nodded.

“For now,” Thor replied, removing the mask from his mouth so he could speak easier. “Did you get ahold of the Guardians?”

Brunhilde licked her lips. “I did. They said that should the worst happen, Loki is more than welcome to travel with them for as long as he needs.”

Thor smiled feebly. “I knew they would agree. Thank you, Brunhilde.”

“Thor, if you do die, don’t you think Loki will want to continue his leadership duties?” the Valkyrie pointed out. Loki sniffled in his sleep, curling up even more against his brother. Thor smiled and brushed some hair out of the trickster’s face.

“Of course he will. But…I don’t want him to feel trapped,” Thor explained. “I never want my brother to feel forced to do anything against his will. Never again. If Loki needs to spend some time away from New Asgard, he should have that option.”

Thor coughed softly, dropping his head back to the pillow. He felt his body failing and knew his time was growing short, but he wasn’t ready to give up. Thor would never just give up. He looked to the Valkyrie and opened his mouth, but she held up a hand.

“Yes, Thor. I will protect Loki, whatever he decides to do,” Brunhilde said, offering him a watery smile. “If he decides to go off with the Guardians, I’ll make sure Gamora and Nebula will look out for him for however long he travels with them.”

Thor smiled weakly and nodded in gratitude. He looked back to his soundly sleeping brother. Thor didn’t want to die, but at least if he did, Loki wouldn’t be alone.

_*_

The next night, Banner was checking Thor’s vitals while Loki was studying a book, one of the very few to survive the destruction of Asgard. It was partly about magic, but the trickster was finding nothing of use within its pages. Loki rubbed at his stinging eyes, blinking a few times to clear his vision before continuing to skim the small black print.

“Find anything that could help?” Banner asked, glancing over at Loki. The trickster shook his head as he turned a page.

“Unfortunately no,” Loki replied tiredly as he dropped his head back against the chair.

Both men looked up when Brunhilde swaggered in, standing in the open doorway. She glanced briefly at Thor before turning her gaze to the two taking care of him.

“I’ve come up with a solution to save Thor, but neither of you is going to like it,” she began. “I want both of you to give me your word that you will _not_ overreact.”

Loki and Banner exchanged a look. Banner looked uneasy but Loki was quite intrigued.

“Brunhilde, when have I _ever_ overreacted?” Loki asked with a charming smile. Brunhilde narrowed her eyes at him.

“If it saves Thor, that’s all that matters,” Banner said.

“Good,” the Valkyrie said, before turning to call over her shoulder. “He’s in here.”

She stepped aside, revealing a tall lanky figure dressed in garish blue and gold robes, which shimmered in the warm light. Loki and Banner immediately jumped to stand in front of Thor’s bed. Banner’s skin briefly rippled, flashing a worrying shade of green. Loki manifested fighting daggers and bared his teeth.

“Are they always this jittery?” the Grandmaster asked Brunhilde with a sideways glance, a grin spreading across his face.

“Gods grant me the patience to deal with men,” Brunhilde muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Hey fellas, a little bird told me you’re in a bit of a jam,” the Grandmaster addressed them cheerfully, leaning to the side and pursing his lips when he noticed Thor. “Uh oh, the lord of thunder doesn’t look very good. Oh, oh, wait, he seems to be reaching for a weapon. What is that? Some kind of fancy-shmancy spear or something? Does it sparkle too?”

Loki twisted partway to look back at Thor, noticing his greatly weakened brother who was barely conscious reaching for Stormbreaker. _Really!?_ Loki thought, exasperated.

“Don’t! You stay put and let us handle this!” Loki snapped, much louder than he intended. Thor glanced at him but stopped reaching for the axe and slumped back in bed. Loki turned his eyes, which were flashing with rage, to the Grandmaster. The man just smiled pleasantly back at him.

“So, you two _are_ brothers? Neat,” the Grandmaster continued conversationally. “But adopted, right? So not really?”

“We’re brothers,” Loki growled. “And if you lay a finger on him, I will disembowel you and have you thrown off the highest roof in Norway.”

“Wow, he is a _feisty_ one,” the Grandmaster said to Brunhilde. He turned his attention back to Loki, looking the trickster up and down. “My, my, my, you’re a much different man than I remember. What a difference several years and a mad titan make.”

“I assure you, I’m more or less the same man I was back then. I was plotting your unfortunate demise the entire time I was on Sakaar and I will happily follow through on this planet,” Loki warned with a menacing grin, spinning the dagger in his left hand. The Grandmaster smiled, amusement never leaving his twinkling eyes, which he turned to Bruce. Brunhilde rolled her eyes and muttered something about going to get a drink.

“And how is my champion doing these days. You _definitely_ look different.”

“I’m good. Enjoying a life where I’m not forced to fight and kill people for the amusement of a sadistic dictator,” Bruce replied thinly.

“Ouch, such cruel words. I’ll have you know that I was a benevolent leader who fostered peace and love,” the Grandmaster replied. “Fellas, I’d love to continue catching up, but Sparkles there appears to be dying at a rather alarming rate.”

As if on cue, an alarm on the small heart monitor started beeping softly. Loki spun around and moved to his brother’s side.

“Thor? Thor!?” he called, shaking his brother. He looked to Banner, who moved to Thor’s other side. Banner glanced at Loki and shook his head, concern coloring his expression. Loki swallowed and tightened his grip on his brother’s arm, as if he could keep Thor there through sheer force of will. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye, not yet. It was too soon. _Brother, please don’t go where I cannot follow. I still need you,_ Loki thought desperately.

“I have a little something that might help,” the Grandmaster said in a sing-song voice, pulling a vial from his sleeve and shaking it a little. “I believe the lord of thunder needs a specific elixir.”

Banner straightened up and looked at the Grandmaster then at Loki, who was standing rigidly with his lips set in a thin line. One hand still rested on Thor’s arm, a protective gesture.

“Why? Why would you help him?” Banner asked, squinting. “And…how do you have that?”

“Ah, interesting questions. For the why, well, Scrapper 142 gave me a ring and boys, imagine my surprise, hearing the voice of an old friend. I didn’t know anyone from the good old days knew I was here. I’m usually rather good at flying under the radar,” the Grandmaster began.

“I’m resourceful,” Brunhilde called out. They could hear glasses clinking around in the kitchen.

“Anyway, she reminded me that I do owe these two a favor for their part in defeating Thanos. The mad titan murdered my brother, you see, which I found most unpleasant and really very rude. As luck would have it, my brother also owes them a similar debt. He wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Thor, and to a lesser extent, Loki. He needs to rebuild his collection again, sadly. But he’s got a good start, including some _exceedingly_ rare potions and elixirs, so—”

“Blah, blah, blah, the Collector happened to have an elixir similar to the one Thor needs, made by some dead crusty old ancestor of Halvard’s, close enough that it will probably work, so I called in their debt and voila. There’s your damn miracle,” Brunhilde interrupted as she wandered back in with a bottle of whiskey. The Grandmaster waggled a finger at her, teasingly chastising. She smiled sarcastically and took a long swig.

“Shall we get on with it? You should probably take off that mask thing otherwise he won’t be able to drink this,” the Grandmaster mentioned. Banner looked to Loki, who tilted his chin up in agreement. The doctor removed the oxygen mask from the god of thunder. Before the strange man could reach Thor’s bedside, Loki strode forward and slammed the Grandmaster against a wall, holding him in place with one arm while pointing a dagger at him with the other.

“Know this, Grandmaster: you may be one of the oldest and most powerful beings in the universe, but I don’t care. If you harm my brother, if I even _suspect_ that you will, I _will_ kill you,” Loki warned, chillingly calm, tilting his head over his shoulder. “And in the unlikely event you get past me, well, we have a Hulk.”

Banner glanced up briefly before turning his attention back to Thor.

A serpentine smile split the Grandmaster’s lips and he tapped Loki’s nose with one long finger. “I do believe you actually think that’s a threat. You young ones really are just too adorable for words. Brash, but still adorable.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, stepping away from the Grandmaster and allowing him to approach Thor. Banner moved away from the strange man and shuffled over to where Brunhilde was sitting on Loki’s bed, watching everyone. The Grandmaster sat beside the god of thunder, sucking in his breath as he studied Thor’s unnaturally pale face.

“This would have been a whole lot easier if you had called me earlier. The poor man’s half dead,” the Grandmaster muttered. He uncorked the fancy vial he held and then tapped the sides of Thor’s face. “Hey Sparkles, you still with us?”

Thor blinked sluggishly and the Grandmaster held up the vial so he could see it. “You need to take some medicine, lord of thunder. It’ll help alleviate that unpleasant chilliness you’re experiencing and make you feel all better. Oops, your nose is bleeding. You’re going to be dead soon if you don’t drink this down. Now come on, open up.”

Thor closed his eye, clamped his mouth shut tight, and turned his face away from the strange man, who nearly spilled the elixir. The Grandmaster tried a couple more times, but the god of thunder stubbornly refused to drink. The strange man turned his attention to the three watching him. Loki was standing with his fist in front of his mouth, watching every move the Grandmaster made. Banner had his arms crossed over his chest and he also watched the Grandmaster warily. Brunhilde was drinking her whiskey, occasionally glancing at the peculiar man.

“Sparkles is being _very_ stubborn. I really can’t help him if he’s stubborn,” the Grandmaster warned with a hint of annoyance. Loki looked at him then at Thor and strode forward to the other side of the bed, sitting lightly on the edge. He took Thor’s hand within his own, wincing at how cold his brother was.

“Thor?” the trickster called gently and Thor’s eye slowly opened. He looked at Loki with his glassy gaze and Loki hoped his brother was aware of him. “I know you don’t trust him. I don’t either, but the Grandmaster has an elixir that might break this spell. You need to drink it.”

Thor stubbornly shook his head, closing his eye. The trickster almost rolled his eyes. His brother really was the worst patient. He always had been, even in his youth. Loki placed his other hand on the side of Thor’s face, bringing his brother’s attention back to him.

“Do you trust me, brother?” Loki asked and Thor stared at him, raising an eyebrow slightly. Even as sick as he was, Thor managed to give Loki a very dry look and the trickster couldn’t help but snicker at that. He brushed his thumb against his brother’s cheek.

“Fair enough,” Loki conceded with a small grin, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “But you know that I don’t want to see you hurt or worse. I did not fight against Thanos just to lose you now. I will not let the Grandmaster harm you or hold you against your will, I give you my word. I will stay right here and protect you, Thor. Please, brother, take the elixir. For me?”

Thor studied his brother for a moment before swallowing and nodding. Loki turned to the Grandmaster, tilting his head over his shoulder to Thor. He kept a firm grip on the god of thunder’s hand, letting his brother know that he was there. The trickster watched as the Grandmaster coaxed Thor’s mouth open and the god of thunder swallowed the elixir.

“Thank you, brother,” Loki whispered gratefully, leaning forward and gently kissing Thor’s brow. The god of thunder’s eye closed and his weak grip went slack in Loki’s hand. The Grandmaster stood up, smoothing his robes. Loki looked up at him as Banner checked Thor’s vitals.

“Did it work?” Loki asked the Grandmaster. The mysterious man turned around, a cryptic smirk playing across his lips. He shrugged and then turned, leaving the room.

“If he dies, I know there’s a Kronan who lives here that would love to make your acquaintance again!” Brunhilde yelled after the strange man.

Loki was barely aware of her as he sat on Thor’s bed, holding his elder brother’s hand. “Thor?”

The god of thunder didn’t respond. His breathing seemed a little easier, though he was still cold to the touch.

Banner straightened up, rubbing his chin. “Maybe it takes a bit to kick in.”

The trickster bit his lip, not taking his eyes off his now unconscious brother. He wasn’t sure that was how this sort of magic worked and Loki was never one to put stock in false hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the risk of sounding completely full of myself, I teared up a couple times while writing this. This was probably the most difficult chapter to write (well, it's a toss up between this one and the last one. To be fair, I struggle with writing endings so the last chapter was difficult to write for a completely different reason). To be fair, I did warn you to have tissues ready.
> 
> The inspiration for the Grandmaster's appearance came from the extras on "Thor: Ragnarok" where he's shown living with Thor's old human roommate from a YouTube short. Both shorts are pretty hilarious and I recommend looking them up (Taika Waititi's comedy never fails to crack me up. Give me a creator who has fun and just loves life any day).
> 
> Goodness, I can't believe there's just one chapter left. This has been a fun experience and I really appreciate everyone who has kept up with this story. You lot are the best :)
> 
> As always, kudos and reviews are much appreciated.
> 
> The next chapter (the last one, sniffle) is entitled "Brothers" and it will be up on Wednesday.
> 
> See all of you then!


	11. Brothers

Thor stopped shivering the day after he received the elixir, late in the afternoon. Banner assured Loki that was a good sign, but the trickster was far from convinced. He watched every breath his brother took, fearful it would be his last. _Until his lightning returns, he’s going to be in danger,_ the trickster reminded himself. Loki lost track of the hours and didn’t even notice the sun set.

“This is a scene I remember well.”

Loki picked his head up from the bed, his hand still clutching Thor’s. Heimdall was standing in the open door, a kind smile on his face. The gatekeeper glanced over to the chair Banner was curled up in, sleeping peacefully.

“Throughout your younger years, it seemed like one of you was always sitting at the other’s bedside in the healing rooms of Asgard,” the watcher mentioned as he stepped into the room. “The two of you got into the most interesting quandaries and ordeals. I remember Queen Frigga saying she would be the first queen to go gray before old age. You in particular seemed determined to find the most danger, whatever would result in you needing to see the healers.”

“I think it was more often me at Thor’s bedside, though I know he would argue that. He frequently forgets how often I stabbed him,” Loki pointed out, a grin flashing across his face. “It only took a few incidents before Mother decided to teach me how to use my seidr to heal. I was never good at it, but I was good enough to hide the evidence of Thor’s and my frequent squabbles.”

Heimdall raised an eyebrow. “The two of you were frequently adversaries, but you were also quite protective of each other. If anyone threatened either of you, the other would be right there ready to come to his brother’s defense.”

Loki frowned. “How very odd. So much has changed and yet some things have stayed the same.”

Heimdall chuckled softly, looking to Thor. “How is he?”

“As you can see, he’s no longer shivering, but his temperature is still too low and his heartbeat isn’t as strong as it should be,” Loki reported, leaning back in his chair and running a hand over his face. “I haven’t seen any sign of his lightning returning. Until that is restored, Thor will be in danger.”

Heimdall nodded. “It will return soon.”

“Such certainty.”

“I never thought you two would find peace, but you did. And you’re both better men for it. New Asgard flourishes under your leadership. Sometimes the unlikely is what comes to pass, even when it takes a while,” Heimdall replied. Loki shook his head, watching Thor’s still face. The god of thunder was still much too pale and it made the trickster incredibly uneasy. Loki let out a soft bitter laugh.

“He has survived so much, even the most impossible. Thor survived Thanos, came back from death, and yet…I might lose him to this,” Loki said quietly.

“Have faith in your brother, Prince Loki. He is strong.”

_He is strong but he is not invincible,_ Loki thought, resting his chin on his arm again. Thor remained in a deep sleep.

_*_

After another couple days, Thor’s temperature was high enough that Banner was comfortable going back to work at the hospital part-time. He still spent a lot of time at the Odinsons’ house, monitoring Thor’s condition, but now the god of thunder’s temperature was close to normal. Close enough that Banner felt comfortable spending every other night at his own house though he made sure Loki knew his number in case of an emergency. Brunhilde also kept watch over the Odinsons, helping her friends in whatever way she could. Sif, Heimdall, and Korg were continuing to oversee the running of New Asgard for the time being.

Late one afternoon, Loki opened his eyes when he heard a knock on the front door. Suppressing a yawn, the trickster dropped his feet from the bed and rose to his feet, moving out of the room and making his way to the front door.

Korg was standing patiently in front of the house. “Hey man, Brunhilde asked me to bring you the minutes of today’s meetings. Nothing much to report, everything’s pretty calm. No mischief or shenanigans or anything like that.”

He grinned in a way that made Loki laugh.

“Are you saying I’m missed, Korg?” Loki asked, raising his eyebrow.

“Eh, maybe a little,” Korg confessed with a shrug. “Brunhilde also wanted me to tell you that she’ll be around later tonight, probably around dinner time. She’s just out running some errands.”

“Thank you, Korg. Won’t you come in?” Loki said, holding the door open. The Kronan smiled and stepped inside.

“Thanks, man,” Korg said as Loki closed the door behind him. “How’s your brother?”

“His temperature is a little higher, but not much else has changed. He still hasn’t awoken,” Loki reported, gesturing to the main area of the house. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“No thank you,” Korg replied as he placed the folder he brought on a nearby table. “Oh hey, the blue and red boy with the webs, one of the smaller Avengers, he called the office today.”

Loki frowned, holding his hands behind his back. “Peter Parker?”

“Yeah, that’s it. He’s settled in university and apparently doing pretty well, taking part in the occasional heroics on the weekends and all that. He has a class on contemporary mythologies and he’s currently working on an important paper about alien mythologies, asked me a whole bunch of questions. He wanted to know if you or Thor could answer a few questions.”

Loki rubbed his brow. “I’m afraid Thor probably won’t be able to help anytime soon.”

“Well, I mean, you grew up with the same stories and lessons. He did say either one of you, but I think he really wanted to talk to you.”

“Me?”

Korg shrugged. “Yeah, man. You’re interesting and he knew you were compiling stories about Thor a couple years back, so he probably thought you’d be a good source of information. Plus, tricksters are natural storytellers and always know the best tales.”

Loki rubbed the back of his neck, his brow furrowing. He still found it very odd when his brother’s friends and allies wanted to speak with him. Peter Parker and his aunt had visited New Asgard during Thor’s absence and Loki had found their company pleasant. Parker’s bright-eyed optimism and curiosity was endearing. It wasn’t difficult to see why Thor had befriended him in the short time he knew him, a friendship that continued after Thor’s return. Though the trickster would never admit it, he also liked the young Spiderman.

“Did he leave a number?”

Korg nodded. “It’s with the minutes of the meeting, one of the last pages. I told him it might take you a couple days to get to it and he understood. He also wanted to speak with you about a foreign exchange program. I guess his university is interested in setting up a program with New Asgard.”

“Well, that’s certainly an interesting prospect,” Loki said, picking up the medium-sized folder and flipping it open. There was a lot that needed to be reviewed, but it wasn’t anywhere near as heavy as Loki had expected. That much was a relief.

“Hey man, you sure you’re okay?” Korg asked, drawing Loki’s attention back to him. “Seems like you’ve been through a lot recently and we haven’t seen you around much.”

“My brother needs me,” Loki replied easily as he continued skimming the contents of the folder.

“I know, but I think he wouldn’t mind if you took a break, stretch your legs maybe. There’s a nice path that Miek and I often hike on our free afternoons. You could join us,” Korg offered and Loki looked up at him, smiling faintly. He did enjoy the company of the freed gladiators who lived in New Asgard.

“I appreciate the offer, Korg, I really do—”

“But you’re needed here,” Korg finished with an understanding smile and Loki nodded once. “I figured as much, but thought I should ask anyway. Thor and you are lucky to have each other. And New Asgard is lucky to have both of you.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, amused at the Kronan’s declaration. How very odd it was to be seen as a hero, especially considering the long winding path he took to reach such a position.

“Thank you, Korg.”

“Sure thing, man,” Korg said with a grin. “Hey, if I might add in my two cents, I think you should approve the foreign exchange program. I really enjoy meeting Midgardians. They’re very friendly and interesting.”

A knowing half-smile danced across Loki’s lips. “And you’d like to tell them about the revolution.”

“Well, it was great. You were there,” Korg reminded him with a shrug and Loki chuckled, nodding. He was intrigued at the idea of a foreign exchange program and could see numerous benefits. Plus, Thor was always looking for opportunities to benefit both groups, Midgardians and Asgardians. His brother was terribly fond of the people of this world, a fondness that had never dimmed.

“I will have to speak to Thor about it, but rest assured, I’m sure he will approve. We’ll work on something together,” Loki assured the Kronan. “For the time being, that stays between us.”

Korg offered him a bright smile. “Excellent. I look forward to meeting many new Midgardians in the near future. Have a good night, man.”

“You too, Korg,” Loki said as he walked the Kronan to the door, seeing him out. Once he was out of sight, Loki closed the door again and made his way back to the bedroom, picking up the packet that Korg had dropped off on his way.

When he reached the bedroom, Loki approached the bed and laid a palm on Thor’s brow. His brother was still cool to the touch, but he was getting warmer. Loki dropped into the chair by the bed.

“If I have to be bored by this tedious nonsense, so do you, Thor,” Loki grumbled to the unconscious god of thunder before he started reading aloud the minutes of the first meeting.

_*_

Late one night, Thor’s eye fluttered open and the room slowly came into focus. Everything was cast in the silver blue light of the moon. All the lights were off, indicating it was probably late at night. The god of thunder grinned as he felt lightning racing through his veins, traveling throughout his body as it naturally did. He felt warm and strong again. The spell had been broken. Hearing a quiet rustling sound, Thor looked to the chair next to his bed and saw Brunhilde curled up, fast asleep. A large blanket had been draped over her and the Valkyrie looked very comfortable.

“She was rather worried about you,” a quiet voice came from his other side. “Banner too. I fear both are rather sleep deprived at present as a result. Banner will be back early tomorrow to check on you. I imagine he’ll be relieved to see you conscious again.”

Thor turned his head to the side and his smile grew. Loki was sitting in a comfortable chair near the window, his feet up on the bed. A faint smile was playing across his lips as he watched Thor.

“Welcome back, brother. It’s about time you woke up.”

“I take it you didn’t share Brunhilde and Banner’s concern?” Thor asked softly, raising his eyebrow. Loki snickered and leaned back even more in his chair.

“Never,” he replied, easily.

“Liar,” Thor teased, with a grin. Loki shrugged and spread his hands.

“What can I say? It’s my nature,” the trickster said as he dropped his feet from the bed. His smile became a little more subtle as he studied his brother’s face. “How do you feel?”

Thor smiled even wider and turned his attention back to his fingers, making a spark race up between them. Loki let out a soft laugh.

“Your lightning’s back,” he said, relief flooding his words. Thor grinned and made a spark with his other hand.

“There’s no more pain,” Thor told him quietly and Loki beamed, running a hand over his face. “I assume this means the spell was broken? The Grandmaster’s elixir worked?”

Loki nodded as he stood and poured Thor a glass of water from the pitcher sitting on the table next to his bed. The trickster sat on the edge of the bed, handing the cup to his brother, who eagerly accepted it.

“So it would appear,” Loki confirmed, watching as Thor drained the cup and taking it from him when he finished. “We have Brunhilde to thank for that. I had no idea he was on Midgard, but then again, I didn’t really care.”

Thor grimaced, watching as Loki stood from the bed and placed the cup back on the small table. His memories of the past few days were incredibly hazy, but he vaguely remembered the Grandmaster being there. The god of thunder gripped his younger brother’s arm, concern clear on his face. “Are you all right?”

Loki raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling. “That’s what I should be asking you.”

“Loki.”

The trickster grinned as he dropped back down into the chair next to Thor’s bed. “I am, brother. Now that you’re okay, I’m fine.”

Thor frowned and pushed himself up into more of a sitting position. “You look troubled, Loki. What is the matter?”

Loki laughed his usual soft breathy laugh. “Not troubled, more contemplative. I was thinking about this whole incident with Halvard and…well, one could argue he did have a valid grievance with us, even if he did take it to an extreme. It was foolish for you to allow me to remain aboard the ship of Asgardian refugees and it nearly got the lot of us killed. It did eventually get you killed, albeit temporarily.”

The trickster paused, leaned back in his chair, and put his feet back up on the bed, smiling a soft tired smile. “I may have fought against Thanos in the end, but it doesn’t alter the fact that I did aid him at one time and I am to blame for him retrieving at least one Infinity Stone. When I came to Midgard on Thanos’ behalf, all those years ago, Ms. Romanoff told me she had red in her ledger and she wanted to wipe it out. At the time, I dismissed it as mortal nonsense, but I find I have a new appreciation for her words now.

“I have made many poor decisions and mistakes in my life, Thor, and I thought I had faced all the consequences. But Halvard reminded me that I never can, that I can’t wipe the red from my ledger. Your insistence on recognizing me as your brother will likely continue to have negative effects on you and your legacy. It would be advisable for us to go our separate ways. However, I know you don’t want that and it might cost you your life eventually.”

Thor was quiet for a moment, watching his brother with fond exasperation. “Loki, come here. Sit next to me.”

Loki stared at Thor, searching his face for any trace of anger. When he found none, the trickster climbed onto the bed next to Thor, resting his back against the headboard with his brother.

Thor wrapped an arm around Loki, holding him close after Loki’s obligatory moment of protest. “May I ask you something?”

Loki frowned. “Of course.”

“Do you regret staying with me and our people aboard the ship? Even though you nearly died?”

“Never,” Loki answered without hesitation, surprising himself with how confident he was in that answer.

“So you would do it again?”

Loki let out a huff of laughter, running a hand over his face. “Gods, I would. In a heartbeat.”

Thor was quiet for a moment. “I want you to listen to me, okay brother?”

Loki folded his arms close to his body, muttering, “It’s not like you give me much of a choice.”

Thor smiled as he looked at his brother, his brave and infuriating brother. “I am _never_ going to send you away, no matter what anyone says or does. You mean more to me than any legacy. New Asgard is home in large part because you’re here with me. You are my family, my brother, and I will always love you as such. As I told Halvard, it doesn’t matter whose blood flows through your veins, you are still my brother and always have been. Yes, you have made many mistakes in your life, and will likely make many more, but you are trying to make amends. You saved many lives aboard our ship, including my own. You are a hero, brother.”

Thor paused and shivered, not keen on revisiting the day when he thought he had lost his brother. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip around Loki’s shoulder. Recognizing that his brother was likely remembering something unpleasant, Loki unconsciously moved closer to Thor. The god of thunder grinned, appreciating the gesture.

“Loki, you protected our people after I fell in battle, laid the foundations for New Asgard. That is not a small feat. I could not be as good a leader on my own as I am with you as my head advisor. I may have almost died because of a misplaced grudge some hateful mage had against you, but I also still live because of you and your magic. It was your seidr that helped keep me bound to this world when my soul fled my body after the battle. Your cleverness and magic are part of what helped me survive Halvard’s spell. For all your flaws, Loki, you also have plenty of amazing strengths. And it is an honor to have you as a brother and an advisor.”

Loki felt a lump in his throat and the annoying warmth of tears in his eyes. Even though he still had some issues with Odin, though it was nowhere near as intense or consuming as it had been in the past, he felt a surge of love for his brother. Thor had never lied to him nor loved him any less, even when he perhaps should have. No matter how many times Loki screwed up or pushed him away, Thor always offered him safety and unconditional love. Even when he was infuriated with the trickster. Thor was home for him.

After a moment, Loki scoffed, but his grin was genuine. “Sentimental fool.”

“Always,” Thor replied. His smile faded a little and he turned his gaze out the window. Loki frowned at the change in demeanor and tried to meet his brother’s eyes.

“Thor?”

The god of thunder looked back to him and grinned, though it seemed a little forced. “Yes, Loki?”

“What is the matter?”

Thor dropped his gaze briefly again before meeting Loki’s eyes again, a tired smile briefly playing over his face. “When I kicked open that door and I saw Thanos, or who I thought was Thanos, holding you on your knees, about to slit your throat…I was sure I was going to lose you again.”

Thor turned his attention back to the window again.

“You mean when you barged in and ruined a perfectly good plan?” Loki asked.

Thor looked back at him, tilting his head and furrowing his brow. “Plan? Your plan was to be at the mage’s mercy?”

“I had located the elixir on him. Inexperienced and overly arrogant mages do foolish things when they believe themselves invincible,” Loki continued.

“Brother, did you honestly just call someone arrogant?”

“Hey,” Loki objected, offended.

“So your plan was to have a knife to your throat and then…?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “My _plan_ was to let him think he had the upper hand so that he would get sloppy, which he was starting to be. I was just about to snatch the elixir and then you had to kick in the door. So yes, Thor, you nearly killed yourself _and_ ruined a well-thought out plan.”

“He literally had a _knife_ to your _throat_ , Loki,” Thor repeated, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. “Norns, your plans are just…that had to be the worst plan ever.”

“If you hadn’t been so distracted by the damn glamor, you would have noticed I was forming a ball of energy in my hand,” Loki argued. “I had the situation _completely_ under control.”

“Gods, you’re going to be the death of me,” Thor muttered in disbelief, letting out his breath slowly. He really didn’t want to get into an argument with the trickster about how foolish a plan that had been, if it had in fact been a plan. Thor had his doubts.

“For all my strength, I was unable to protect you, to save you. Thanos disintegrated half this world’s people because I failed to defeat him. I hate being reminded of those days, when I thought I had lost everything. Even when it seems like they’re fading, something always brings them back. I think I’ve outrun them and they’re always waiting for me,” Thor confided quietly to Loki, closing his eyes and dropping his head back. He felt the trickster lean against him a little more and the light-haired god held him a little tighter.

“That’s part of the reason why I stay, Thor,” Loki told him in a comforting voice. “So I can remind you that you ultimately succeeded against Thanos and defeated him. If the memories haunt your sleep, know that I am right here. I will always be right here. You did not lose me.”

“For that I am glad,” Thor said, feeling his heart warm and he smiled again. “Part of the reason? Dare I ask what else keeps you here?”

Loki grinned impishly. “Good wine, status, prestige, power, and did I mention good wine?”

Thor laughed and shook his head. “I am glad you’re here, Loki. I know you will always watch out for me and I will always do the same for you.”

The trickster rested his head on his brother’s shoulder, a smile briefly dancing across his face. Thor rested his head on Loki’s, enjoying the close contact with his brother. It was something he found he needed after confronting Halvard and reliving some of his worst memories.

“I do hope you’ll remember this moment tomorrow, when you start catching up on everything you missed while you were ill,” Loki mentioned and Thor groaned.

“But I was sick,” he protested in a playful tone.

“You’re still a leader and you have duties and responsibilities. It’s not all fun and games, not if you want to do right by our people,” Loki warned him, almost laughing at the irony of him being the one saying that. _If I want to maintain my reasonably comfortable life, I need to make sure Thor is not overthrown,_ Loki rationalized.

“Very well, brother,” Thor replied with a grin, going quiet for a moment. “You know I mean that, right?”

“Mean what?”

“That you’re my brother. Blood isn’t everything, Loki. Mother and Father never loved you any less and neither do I,” Thor stated, glancing over at him.

“Well, obviously,” Loki agreed with a soft laugh. “We may have our disagreements about some matters of the past, none of which I have any interest in revisiting, but I know we’re brothers and always have been.”

“It’s just…I still worry about losing you, especially if old wounds are reopened. What Halvard said, I worried he might have hurt you,” Thor admitted. Loki studied his brother, surprised that was bothering Thor. His brother carried so much weight on his shoulders and Loki made a note to convince him to take a vacation. Though knowing Thor, he would be his usual aggravatingly happy and optimistic self in another day or two. Nothing could dim the god of thunder’s light for overly long.

“Thor, I was really more focused on the fight than I was on Halvard’s words, which were disappointingly predictable and dull. Even if I had been listening to him, words can only inflict so much pain,” Loki explained, smiling his usual mischievous grin. “Trying to convince me I had no family was really a _terrible_ tactic on Halvard’s part. You kicked down a door, saw Thanos about to kill me, and like the hopeless fool you are, unleashed a bolt of lightning that nearly killed you, knowing that it possibly could. I can’t imagine anyone other than my brother doing that, taking such a risk to save my life.”

Thor laughed and pulled his brother into a hug, ignoring Loki’s squawk of surprise and brief flailing of limbs.

“I love you, brother,” the god of thunder said affectionately. Loki smiled and shook his head, hugging his brother back, relishing in the natural warmth that had finally returned to the god of thunder.

“And I you, Thor.”

After a moment, Loki maneuvered out of the hug and lay down, interlacing his fingers behind his head and closing his eyes. Thor smiled and grabbed one of the blankets at the foot of the bed, covering Loki with it to keep out the night chill.

“Sleep well, Loki,” he whispered, kissing the trickster’s brow.

Thor held up his hand, allowing lightning to travel over the flesh of his arm. Loki opened his eyes again, watching the electricity dance over his brother’s fingers.

“You’re going to be doing that all night, aren’t you?” Loki asked, resigned.

“Well, I have missed being able to,” Thor replied, creating another spark between his fingertips on his other hand. His eyes lit up with pure joy and his smile practically lit the room. _There’s the brother I know,_ Loki thought as he smirked and closed his eyes, turning onto his side and pulling the blanket up more. His brother would probably never change.

Loki was actually grateful for that.

 

 

**_The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this adventure is already over. It was a lot of fun to write :'( 
> 
> I really appreciate everyone who kept up with this story. All your kind words and reactions had me grinning like a fool (and occasionally laughing. Sometimes rather loud). Seriously, words are failing me at the moment.
> 
> The reason why this chapter was a little late is because...(sigh) I have another idea for a multi-chapter fic. I got a bit carried away brainstorming. There are some other things that require my attention at the moment, so I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to write it (maybe in a couple weeks. I'm finicky about finishing fics before I post them because I don't want to take any long breaks). Oh, but I REALLY want to write it. The idea intrigues me and there are a couple scenes that are already so vivid in my mind.
> 
> I will continue to respond to any reviews I get (I'll try to reply the day that I get them).
> 
> Thank you everybody! Until next time! :) <3


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